IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


^-^^^^.^^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MS80 

(7t6)  672-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Ins'Jtute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiquas 


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Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  at  bibiiographiques 


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The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


□    Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


D 
D 


D 


0 


Couverture  endommagie 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^  et/ou  pelliculAe 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  giographiques  en  couleur 


..    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
^>    Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


rri    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli^  avec  d'autres  documents 

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along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
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Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouties 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6X6  filmies. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6X6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  biblicgraphique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  una 
modification  dans  la  m6thode  noimale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


I      I   Coloured  pages/ 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagies 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaur6es  et/ou  pelliculies 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolories,  tachetdes  ou  piqu6es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachies 


\/ 


D 
D 
D 


\/ 


Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualit^  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  matdriel  suppl^mentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

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slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  At6  film^es  6  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


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Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmentaires: 


Wrinkled  pages  may  film  slightly  out  of  focus. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmi  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


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The  copy  filmed  here  hes  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
g6n4rosit6  de:  ^ 

Bibliothdque  naticnale  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  iteeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  images  sulvantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  ie 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetd  da  l'exemplaire  film6.  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^(meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
r  jquired.  The  following  diagiams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  filmte  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  ie  Swcond 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenf^ant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  —^  signffie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  i  des  taux  de  riducteon  diffirents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  11  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m^thode. 


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ADVERTISEMENT. 


The  want  of  an  edition  of  Wilson's  ORNiTHOLOor,  adapted 
to  general  circulation,  has  long  been  felt  in  the  United  States. 
While  several  popular  editions. have  been  published  in  Europe, 
there  has  been  none  here,  except  the  original  one,  and  an- 
other, with  slight  modifications ;  both  of  which,  on  account  of 
their  costliness,  have  been  necessarily  excluded  from  the  hands 
of  many  who  might  desire  to  possess  or  peruse  Wilson's  work. 
The  present  work  is  designed  to  supply  this  want,  and  it  is 
hoped  it  may  serve  at  once  to  extend  the  fame  of  the  author, 
to  give  a  wider  scope  to  the  influence  of  his  genius,  and  pro- 
mote an  interest  in  the  study  of  American  ornithology. 

To  accomplish  these  objects,  the  original  work  of  Wilson 
has  been  followed,  adding  thereto  the  copious  and  valuable 
notes  of  Jardine.  In  order,  however,  to  present  a  complete 
view  of  the  birds  of  North  America,  a  Synopsis  has  been  ap- 
pended, including  all  the  birds  described  by  Wilson,  Nuttall, 
Bonaparte,  Audubon,  and  Richardson  ^he  Synopsis  has 
been  prepared  solely  with  a  view  to  supply,  so  far  as  could  ', 
done  within  such  narrow  limits,  that  which  is  wanting  in  the 
original  text  of  Wilson.  A  brief  explanation  of  the  plan  upon 
which  it  has  been  prepared,  may  not,  therefore,  be  out  of 
place. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  Synopsis  comprises  the  names,  both 
scientific  and  otherwise,  of  all  the  birds  now  known  to  exist  in 
North  America,  arranged  according  to  their  natural  affinities. 
Wherever  birds  have  been  fully  described  in  the  preceding 
pages,  it  has  been  deemed  necessary  to  refer  only  to  the  works 
of  American  ornithologists,  who  have  also  given  their  history. 


Ii 


I 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


Where  this  has  been  imperfectly  given,  such  additional  facts 
relatiye  to  their  manner  of  breeding,  etc.,  as  the  space  ad« 
mitted,  have  been  added  ;  and  where  the  bird  was  not  known 
to  Wilson,  a  brief  scientific  description  has  been  appended. 

I  should  be  guilty  of  great  injustice,  were  I  to  omit  to  add 
how  much  I  have  been  assisted  by  the  labors  and  writings  of 
the  illustrious  Audubon.  With  his  free  and  generous  consent, 
I  have  been  permitted  to  draw  from  the  materials  which  his 
industry  and  perseverance  had  prepared  to  my  hands,  and 
without  which  I  could  have  done  but  little.  Whatever  merits, 
therefore,  may  appear  in  my  labors,  will,  I  trust,  be  attributed 
to  the  source  to  which  they  are  rightly  due.  It  will  also  be 
seen  that  in  the  arrangement  by  genera  and  families,  the 
present  Synopsis  owes  a  great  deal  to  that  of  Mr.  Audubon. 
It,  however,  differs  in  two  material  points.  The  latter  has  no 
division  by  orders.  The  omission  is  an  important  one,  and  it 
was  deemed  advisable  to  supply  it.  I  have  also  judged  it 
inexpedient  to  imitate  the  needless  subdivisions  into  genera, 
which  is  the  prevailing  fault  in  modern  ornithology.  Without 
entering  into  a  discussion  of  this  controverted  question,  I  have 
only  to  urge,  in  defence  of  my  adhesion  except  in  such  instances 
as  it  appeared  wrong  to  do  so,  to  old  genera  —  my  conviction 
that  the  present  mode  of  subdivision,  instead  of  tending  to 
simplify  science,  as  its  advocates  assert,  but  adds  to  the  difficul- 
ties of  the  beginner,  and  serves  to  discourage  his  efforts  to 
master  the  subject. 

In  fine,  I  would  venture  to  submit  this  brief  catalogue  of  the 
birds  of  North  America,  with  the  assurance,  which  justice 
compels  me  to  make,  that  its  merits,  if  it  has  any,  are  due  to 
others;  its  faults — and  I  am  aware  of  its  deficiencies  —  are 
partly  mine,  and  partly  those  of  my  narrow  limits. 

T.  M.  B. 


Z.9%- 


JONTENTS. 


.Ank,  Little, 668 

Avooet,  American, 539 

,  Long-legged, 490 

"  Bittern,  American, 568 

,  Loaat, 560 

BloeBird, 37 

Brant 621 

Bunting,  Bay- winged, 296 

,  Black-throated, 36 

,  Cow, 187 

.Painted, 234 

,  Rice, 129 

,  Snow, 212 

,  Towhe, 121 

, ,  (Female,) 459 

,  White-crowned, 295 

Butcher  Bird. 49 

Buzzard,  American, 452 

,  Turkey, 660 

Cat  Bird, 157 

Cedar  Bird, 70 

Chat,  Yellow-breaated, "n 

Chuck- Will'B  Widow «(, : 

Coot,  Cinereous, 633 

Crane,  Blue, 534 

,  Whooping, 548 

Creeper,  Black  and  White 205 

,  Brown, 81 

Crossbill,  American, 291 

,  White-winged, 294 

Crow, 318 

,  Carrion, 667 


v 


Plft. 

Crow,  Clark's, .909 

,Fish, 343 

Cuckoo,  Black-billed,.* 969 

,  Yellow-billed, 267 


Curlew,  Esquimaux, 473 

,  Long-billed, 660 


Darter,  Black-bellied, 644 

, J  (Female,).. 647 

Diver,  Great  Northern,".". 648 

Dore,  Ground, 409 

,  Turtle, 388 

Duck,  Black  or  Surf, 567 

,  Buffel-headed, 568 

,  Canvass-Back, 603 

,  Dusky, 626 

,  Eider, 615 

1 ,  (Female,) 617 

,  Harlequin, 625 

,  Long-tailed, 596 

, ,  (Female,). .  .597 

,Piod, 594 

,  Pintail, 582 

,  Red-headed, 607 

,  Ruddy, 619 

, ,  (Female,) 620 

,  Scaup, 590 

,  Scoter, 623 

,  Summer, 598 

,  Tufted, 574 

,  Velvet, 624 

,  Wood, 598 


Eagle,  White-headed  or  Bald,... 325 


Tl 


CONTENTS. 


£«gle,  Ring-t&iled, , 
,  Sea, 


..467 
..469 


Falcon,  Rough-legged, 303 

.Winter, 314 

Finch,  Pine, 180 

,  Purple, 79,386 

,  Savannah, 313 

,  Seaside 311 

-,  Sharp-tailed, 312 


Flamingo,  Red, 565 

Flycatcher,  Canada, 253 

— ,  Great-created, 147 

,  GreenBlack-capped,255 

.Hooded, 254 

,  Pewit 149 

,  Red-eyed 133 

,  Small  Blue-gray,. .  .199 

. ,  SmallGreen-creflted,148 

,  Small-headed, 443 

,  Solitary, 186 

,  Tyrant, 140 

,  Warbling 385 

,  White-eyed, 200 

,  Wood  Pewee, 151 

,  Yellow-throated 77 


Gadwall, 614 

Gallinule,  Purple, 637 

Go^ivit,  Great  Marbled, 479 

,  Telltale, 495 

Golden  Eye 375 

Goldfinch,;'-. 7 

Goosander, 579 

,  (Female,) 581 

Goose,  Canada. 570 

,  Snow. 585 

, ,  (Toung) 593 

Grakle,  Purple.r. 217 

,RuBty, 216 

Grosbeak,  Blue, 4i40 

-,  Cardinal,. 123 

,  Pine, .y 53 

-  ,  Roee-braastetC ^82 


Grouae,  Pinnated, 966 

,  Ruffed, 430 

Gull,  Black-headed, 652 

Hawk,  American  Sparrow,  171,300 

,  Agh-colc"edorBlocv-cap,453 

, Black, 455,456 

,  Broad-winged, 460 

,Fish, 334 

,  Great-footed, 677 

-,  Marsh, 445 


,  Night 371 

,  Pigeon, 166 

■,  Red-shouldered, 457 

,  Red-tailed, 450 

,  Sharp-shinned, 404 

,  Slate-colored, 407 

,  Swallow-tailed, 447 

,  White -breasted, 452 

Heron,  Great, 554 

, White 527 

,  Green, 522 

-,  Louisiana, 542 

,  Night, 524 

,  Snowy, 536 

,  Yellow-crowned, 5.52 

Humming  JiittAy. 115 

Ibis,  Scarlet, ...563 

,  White, 564 

,Wood,.. 561 

Indigo  Bird, 66 

Jay,  Blue,.'^. 1 

— ,  Canada. 211 

Kingsfisher,  Belted,T 227 

Kite,  Mississippi, 241 

Lark,  Brown, 387 

,  Meadow,?: 203 

,  Shore, 67 

Loon, 648 


f'f 


CONTENTS. 


VII 


'«•. 


Magpie, 316 

Mallard ^ 608 

Martin,  Purple, 3(J6 

,  8and,T 353 

MerganBcr,  Hooded, 586 

,  Red-breMted, 588 

Mocking  Bird, 107 

Nun,  White, 618 

'  Nuthatc;.,  Brown-headed, 166 

" ,  Red-bellied,  Black- 
capped, 27 

,  White-breasted,  Blnck- 

oapped, 24 


Oriole,  Baltimore, 10 

. — — ,  (Female,) ...  ,458 

,  Orchard, 43 

Oaprey 334 

Owl,  Barred, 304 

,  Great  Horned, 435 

— — ,  ?Iawk, 444 

(Little, 309 

»  Long-eared, 449 

• ,  Mottled, 201 

.Red, 383 

,  Short-eared, 307 

,  Snow, 297 

,  White  or  Barn, 440 

Oyster-Catcher,  Pied, 543 

Parrot,  Carolina, 246 

Partridge, 413 

Petrel,  Stormy, 517 

Phalarope,  Gray, 640 

.Red 642 

Pigeon,  Carolina, 388 

,  Passenger 394 

Plover,  Black-bellied, 486 

,  Golden, 505 

,  Kildeer 507 

.  Ring, 500 

,  Ringed,  345 

,  Ruddy  .  541 


Plover,  Banuerling,. . . 503 

,  Wilson's 643 

**""«, 484 

Qua  Bird, 524 

Quail 413 

Rail, 418 

,  Clapper 531 

,  Virginian, 529 

Raven 673 

Red  Bird,  Summer, G3 

Red  Poll,  Lesser, 288 

Redstart, 405 

",  American, ,,,,. .68 

Robin, , 30  -• 

Sandpiper,  Ash-colored, 482 

— — ,  Bartram's 499 

,  Little, 347 

,  Red-backed, 475 

— ,  Red-breasted, 487 

— ;  Semipalmated, 542 

,  Solitary, 493 

-,  Spotted, 497 


Sheerwater, 514 

Shoveller, 577 

Shrike,  Great  American, 49 

,  Loggerlir-ad, 225 


Skimmer,  Black, 514 

Smew, 618 

Snake  Bird, 644, 647 

Snipe, 411,495 

•,  Red-breasted, 488 

,  Semipalmated, 477 

,  Yellow  Shanks, 495 


Snow  Bird, 178 

Sparrow,  Chipping, 177 

,  Field, 174 

,  Fox-colored, 223 

,  Savannah, 224 

,  Song, 176 

,  Swamp, 220 

.Tree, 178 


I 


▼Ill 


::,ONTENTS. 


Pa^. 


Spam-w,  White-throated, 5«82 

,  Yellow-winged, 239 

Spoonbill,  Roseate, ^ 


Starling,  Red-winged 
Swallow,  Bank,.... 

,  Barn,.... 

. -,  Chimney, 

,  Green,  Blue,  or  White- 
bellied 356 


281 

368 
348 
359 


P»fe- 
Wtxbler,  Blue  Yelbw-Back,.. .  .370 

,  Cape  May, 465 

,  Cerulean, 185 

..,  Chestnut-aided, 162 

..,  Connecticut, 370 

_.,  Golden- winged, 170 

,  Hemlock, 403 

,  Kentucky, 344 


Tanagev,  Louisiana, 207 

,  Scarlet, 125 

Teal,  Blue-winged, 583 

,  Green- winged, 601 

Tern,  Great, 509 

,  Lesser, 511 

,  Marshy, 630 

,  Short-tailed, 513 

,Sooty,.... 6^^ 

Thrush,  Ferruginous, lo^ 

,  Golden-crowned, 155 

,  Hermit, 391 

,  Tawny, 392 

_ ,  Water, 233 

,  Wood, 15 

Titmouse,  Black-capped, 91 

,  Crested, 92 


Turnstone,. 


Vulture,  Black,.. 
. ,  Turkey, 


.480 

.667 
.660 


Warbler,  Autumnal, 232 

,  Bay-breasted, 161 

,  Blackburnian, 231 

. ,  Black  Poll, 287,  466 

,  Black  and  Yellow,. . .  -231 

,  Black-tliroated  Blue,.  .170, 

,  Black-throated  Green,.!  83 

,  Blue-eyed  Yellow, 169 


-,  Mourning, 163 

..,  Nashville, 266 

.,  Pine  Creeping, 206 

.~,  Pine  Swamp, 393 

.-,  Pnurie, 245 

,  Prothonotary, 236 

,  Tennessee, 243 

,  Worm-eating, 237 

,  Yellow  Red-Poll, 271 

,  Yellow-Rump, 406 

,  Yellow  rumped, 184 

.-,  Yellow-Throat, 139 

Whippoorwill, 376 

Widgeon,  American, •  .591 

Woodcock, 426 

Woodpecker,  Downy, 104 

,  Gold-winged, 29 

,  Hairy, 102 

— ,  Ivory-billed, 272 

,  Lewis's, 210 

,  Pileated, 279 

-,  Red-bellied, 75 

-,  Red-cockaded,. . . .  164 

-,  Red-headed, 96 

-.Yellow-bellied,...  100 


.~,  Blue-green, 


.265 


-,  Blue  Mountain, 402 

,  Blue-winged  Yellow,.. 167 


Wren,  Great  Carolina, 137 

..,  Golden-crested, 84 

~,  House, 87 

,  Marsh, 135 

,  Ruby-crowned, ...  .55 

,  Winter, 9* 

Yellow  Bird, '^ 

Yellow  Throat,  Maryland,..  .59, 198 

682. 


'V«,, 


WILSON'S 


AMERICAN  ORNITHOLOGY. 


i    I.  i 


BLUE  JAY— CORVUS  CRISTATUS.  —  Fio.  1. 

Limt.8yst.i.  p.  157, 168.  —  Gamilus  Can  sis  coeruleus,  Briss.  ii.  p.  64, 2  1 4. 
"?•  ^-.Tv^^lS? glandana  cristata,  Klein,  p.  bi,  3.  —  Le  geay  bleu  du  Canada,  BufT. 
lu.  p^  120  PZ.  enl.  629  _  Blue  Jay,  cJesb.  Car.  i.  15.  -  idw.  239.  -  Arc^.  S 
No  129?  "~  '  •*■  ^^'  ^•-^'"*'''«'P- 290. -P-a/e'.  Jlf««<iM, 

OARRVLUS    CRrSTATUS.  —  y imitAMT. 

Ganuliu  cristatus,  V»ei«.  Go/,  rfw  Ois.  pi.  102.  —  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  293. — Bonap. 
Synop.  No.  G3.  —  Pica  cristata,  Wagl.  No.  8. 

This  elegant  bird,  which,  as  far  as  I  can  learn,  is  peculiar  to  North 
America,  is  distinguished  as  a  kind  of  beau  among  the  feathered  ten- 
ants of  our  woods,  by  the  brilliancy  of  his  dress ;  and,  like  most  other 
coxcombs,  makes  himself  still  more  conspicuous  by  his  loquacity,  and 
the  oddness  of  his  tones  and  gestures.  The  Jay  measures  eleven  inches 
m  length;  the  head  is  ornamented  with  a  crest  of  light  blue  or  purple 
feathers,which  he  can  elevate  or  depress  at  pleasure ;  a  narrow  line  of 
black  runs  along  the  frontlet,  rising  on  each  side  higher  than  the  eye, 
but  not  passing  over  it,  as  Catesby  has  represented,  and  as  Pennant 
and  many  others  have  described  it ;  back  and  upper  part  of  ♦hn  neck 
a  fine  light  purple,  in  which  the  blue  predominates ;  a  collar  of  black, 
proceeding  from  the  hind  head,  passes  with  a  graceful  curve  down 
each  side  of  the  neck  to  the  upper  part  of  the  breast,  where  it  forms 
a  creecent;  chin,  cheeks,  throat,  and  belly,  white,  the  three  former 
siightly  tinged  with  blue ;  greater  wing-coverts,  a  rich  blue ;  exterior 
sides  of  the  pnmanes,  light  blue,  tliose  of  the  secondaries,  a  deep  pur- 
ple, except  the  three  feathers  next  the  body,  which  are  of  a  splendid  light 
blue ;  all  theae,  except  the  primaries,  are  beautifully  barred  mth 
crescents  of  black,  and  tipped  with  white;  the  interior  sides  of  the 
wing  leathers  are  dusky  black ;  tail  long  and  cuneiform,  composed 
ot  twelve  feathers  of  a  glossy  light  blue,  marked  at  half  inches  with 
transverse  curves  of  black,  each  feather  being  tipped  with  white. 

..,.  .^....,  vTTu  J..I.IUIC  UUC3,  TTuicH  acepBH  into  a  aarK  purple  at  the 

extrenuues ;  breast  and  sides  under  the  wings,  a  dirty  white,  faintlr 


9  fiLUE  JAY. 

Stained  with  purple ;  inside  of  the  mouth,  the  tongue,  bill,  lega,  and 
claws,  black ;  iris  of  the  eye,  hazel. 
The  Blue  Jay  is  an  almost  universal  inhabitant  of  the  woods,  fre- 

auenting  the  thickest  settlements  as  well  as  tlie  deepest  recesses  of 
lie  forest,  where  his  squalling  voice  often  alarms  the  deer,  to  the 
disappointment  and  mortification  of  the  hunter;  one  of  whom  informed 
me,  that  he  made  it  a  point,  in  summer,  to  kill  every  Jay  he  could 
meet  with.  In  the  charming  season  of  sprinff,  when  every  thicket 
pours  forth  harmony,  the  part  performed  by  the  Jay  always  catches 
the  ear.  He  appears  to  be  among  his  fellow-musicians  what  the 
trumpeter  is  in  a  band,  some  of  his  notes  having  no  distant  resem- 
blance to  the  tones  of  that  instrument.  These  he  has  the  faculty  of 
changing  through  a  great  variety  of  modulations,  according  to  the 
particular  humor  he  happens  to  be  in.  When  disposed  for  ridicule, 
there  is  scarce  a  bird  whose  peculiarities  of  song  he  cannot  tune  his 
notes  to.  When  engaged  in  the  blandishments  of  love,  they  resem- 
ble the  soft  chatlerings  of  a  Duck,  and,  while  he  nestles  among  the 
thick  branches  of  the  cedar,  are  scarce  heard  at  a  few  paces'  distance ; 
but  he  no  sooner  discovers  your  approach  than  he  sets  up  a  sudden 
and  vehement  outcry,  flying  off,  and  screaming  with  all  his  might,  as 
if  he  called  the  whole  feathered  tribes  of  the  neighborhood  to  witness 
some  outrageous  usage  ho  had  received.  When  he  hops  undisturbed 
among  the  high  branches  of  the  oak  and  hickory,  they  become  soft 
and  musical;  and  his  calls  of  the  female  a  stranger  would  readily 
mistake  for  the  repeated  screakings  of  an  ungreased  wheelbarrow. 
All  these  he  accompanies  with  various  nods,  jerks,  and  other  gesticula- 
tions, for  which  the  whole  tribe  of  Jays  are  so  remarkable,  that,  with 
Bome  other  peculiarities,  they  might  have  very  well  justified  the  great 
Swedish  naturalist  in  forming  them  into  a  separate  genus  by  tnem- 
eelves.* 

*  This  has  now  been  done ;  and  modem  ornithologists  adopt  the  title  Garruhu, 
of  Brisson,  for  this  distinct  and  very  well  defined  group,  containing  many  species, 
which  agree  intimately  iti  therr  general  form  and  habits,  and  are  dispersed  over 
every  quarter  of  the  w"orld.  New  Holland  excepted.  The  colors  of  their  plumap 
are  brown,  gray,  blue,  and  black ;  in  some  distributed  with  sober  chastity,  while, 
in  others,  the  deep  tints  and  decided  markings  rival  the  richest  gems. 

Proud  of  cerulean  Rtninx, 
From  Heaven's  unaullied  arch  purloin'd,  the  Jay 
Screams  hoarse.  Gisdobnb'*  Walks  in  a  Forest. 

In  geographical  distribution,  we  find  those  of  splendid  plumage  following  the 
warmer  climates,  and  associating  there  with  our  ideas  of  Eastern  magnificence ; 
while  the  more  sober  dressed,  and,  in  our  opinion,  not  the  least  pleasing,  range 
through  more  temperate  and  northern  regions,  or  those  exalted  tracts  in  tropical 
cotuitries,  where  all  the  productions  in  some  maimer  receive  the  impress  of  an  alpine 
or  northern  station.  This  is  no  where  belter  exemplified  than  in  the  specimens  lately 
sent  to  th!"  country  from  the  lofty  and  extensive  plains  of  the  Himalaya,  where  we 
have  already  met  with  prototj-pes  of  the  Eurouean  Jay,  Black  and  Green  Wood- 
peckers. Greater  Titmouse,  anci  Nutcracker,  'rnev  inhabit  woody  districts  5  in  theii 
disDositions  are  cunning,  bold,  noisy,  active,  ana  restless,  but  docile  and  easily 
tamed,  when  introduced  to  the  care  of  man,  and  are  capable  of  being  taught  tricks 
and  various  sounds.  Tlie  following  instance  of  the  latter  propensity  is  thus  related 
by  Bewick  :  —  "  \Vc  have  heard  one  imitate  the  sound  made  by  the  action  of  a  saw, 
so  exactly,  that,  though  it  was  on  a  Sunday,  we  could  hardly  be  persuaded  that  the 
person  who  kept  it,  had  not  a  carpenter  at  work  in  the  house.  Another,  at  the  ap- 
proach (if  caitie,  had  ieamed  10  hoand  a  cur  dog  npon  ihcm,  by  whisiling  sad  caliisf 


A,, 


BLUE  JAY. 


3 


The  Blue  Jay  bunds  a  large  nest,  frequenUy  in  the  cedar,  eometinies 
on  an  apple-tree,  lines  it  with  dry,  fibrous  roots,  and  lays  five  effffs  of 
a  dull  olive,  spotted  with  brown.  The  male  is  particularly  careful  of 
not  being  heard  near  the  place,  making  his  visits  as  silently  and  se- 
cretly aa  possible.  His  favorite  food  is  chestnuts,  acorns,  and  Indian 
com.  He  occasionally  feeds  on  bugs  and  caterpillars,  and  sometimes 
pays  a  plundering  visit  to  the  orchard,  cherry  rows,  and  potato  patcJi ; 
and  has  been  known,  in  times  of  scarcity,  to  venture  into  the  barn, 
through  openings  between  the  weather  boards.  In  these  cases  he  i? 
extremely  active  and  silent,  and,  if  surprised  in  the  fact,  makes  his 
escape  with  precipitation,  but  without  noise,  as  if  conscious  of  his 
criminality. 

Of  all  birds,  he  is  the  most  bitter  enemy  to  the  Owl.  No  sooner  has 
he  discovered  the  retreat  of  one  of  tliese,  than  he  summons  tlie  whole 
leathered  fraternity  to  his  assistance,  who  surround  the  glimmering 
sohlatre,  and  attack  him  from  all  sides,  raising  such  a  shout  as  may  be 
heard,  m  a  still  day,  more  than  half  a  mile  off  When,  in  my  hunting 
excursions,  I  have  passed  near  this  scene  of  tumult,  1  have  imagined 
to  myself  that  I  heard  the  insulting  party  venting  tlieir  respective 
charges  witli  all  the  virulency  of  a  Billingsgate  mob  ;  the  Owl,  mean- 
while, returning  every  compliment  with  a  broad,  goggling  stare.  The 
war  becomes  louder  and  louder,  and  tlie  Owl  at  length,  forced  to  betake 
himself  to  flight,  is  followed  by  his  whole  train  of  persecutors,  until 
driven  beyond  the  boundaries  of  their  jurisdiction. 

But  the  Blue  Jay  himself  is  not  guiltless  of  similar  depredations  with 
the  Owl,  and  becomes  in  his  turn  the  very  tyrant  he  detested,  when 
he  sneaks  through  the  woods,  as  he  frequently  does,  and  among  the 
thickets  and  hed^e-rows,  plundering  every  nest  he  can  find  of  its 
eggs,  tearing  up  the  callow  young  by  piecemeal,  and  spreading  alarm 
and  sorrow  around  him.  The  cries  of  the  distressed  parents  soon  bring 
together  a  number  of  interested  spectators,  ffor  birds  in  such  circum- 
stances seem  trulv  to  sympathize  with  eacli  other,)  and  he  is  some- 
times  attacked  with  such  spirit  as  to  be  under  the  necessity  of  makinff 
a  speedy  retreat  ° 

upon  him  by  liis  name.  At  last,  during  a  severe  frost,  the  dog  was,  by  that  means 
excited  to  attack  a  cow  big  with  calf,  when  the  poor  animal  fell  on  the  ice,  and 
was  much  hurt:  the  Jay  was  complained  of  as  a  nuisance;  and  its  owner  was 
obliged  to  destroy  it."  They  foed  indiscriminately,  and,  according  to  circum- 
stances, on  either  animal  or  vegetable  substances ;  plundering  nests  of  their  e-'-'s 
and  young,  and  even,  m  the  more  exposed  farm-yards,  disappointing  the  hopes  "of 
the  mistress,  in  the  destruction  of  a  favorite  brood.  They  are  also  robbers  of  or- 
chards and  gardens  of  their  finest  fruits  ;  but,  when  without  the  reach  of  these  luxu- 
ries, the3'  will  be  content  to  satisfy  their  hunger  with  Nature's  own  productions  the 
wild  berries,  or  fruits  and  seeds  of  the  forest  and  the  field. 

Several  new  species  have  been  added  to  the  North  American  list,  some  of  which 
are  described  by  the  Prmce  of  Musignano;  and,  in  addition,  we  may  mention  one 
new  species,  published  by  Dr.  Richardson  and  Mr.  Swainson,  in  the  Arctic  Zoolo^i,. 
The  mily  specimen  brought  home  was  killed  on  the  roof  of  the  dwelling-house"' at 
tort  l-rankhn,  and  was  so  similar  to  the  Canada  Jay,  that  it  was  not  then  reco<niized 
as  a  distinct  species.  The  chief  distinctions  mentioned  in  the  above  work  are  the 
shorter  bill,  broader  at  the  base,  and  narrower  on  the  ridge;  the  plumage  looser 
than  m  U-Camderms ;  the  secondaries  proportionally  longer,  and  all  end  in  slender, 
but  very  distinct  points  scarcely  discernible  in  the  Blue  Jay,  and  not  nearly  so  much 
developed  in  the  Whisky  Jack.  Tail  is  shorter  than  the  latter :  the  tarsus  is  ,n«r« 
robust. — Ed.  -!-- 


^  BLUE  JAY. 

Sfne  is  f?ozen  up"  buried  in  snow,  or  perhaps  exhausted,  he  becomes 

""^There  are,  however,  individual  exceptions  to  this  general  character 
torplundeT^ndoutmge,apronenesB  for  -^-f  is  probab  y  oft^^^^^^ 
-asioned  bv  the  wants  and  irritations  of  necessity.  A  Blue  J  ay,  wnicn 
I  have  kept  for  some  time,  and  with  whom  1  am  on  terms  of  familiarity, 
is  in  redftv  a  ver^  notable  example  of  mildness  of  disposition  and 
rodabS  of  manners.    An  accident  in  the  woods  first  put  me  in  pos- 

S^of  Siis  bird,  while  in.  full  Pl^^grfjf^^'f.a^^e  ^^^^^^^ 
snirits  •  I  carried  him  home  with  me,  and  put  him  into  a  cage  aireaay 
Spied  byTcolden-winged  Woodpecker,  where  he  was  saluted  wi^ 
S  rudeness  and  received  such  a  drubbing  from  the  lord  of  the 
m^or  for  en  ering  Ws  premises,  that,  to  save  his  life,  1  was  obliged 
SS  hTm  out  agfin.    I  then  put  him  into  another  cage,  where  the 
Silv  tenant  was  a  female  Orchard  Oriole.    She  also  put  on  airs  of 
aSLrff  she  considered  herself  endangered  and  insulted  by  the  in- 
Sn  •  the  Jay,  meanwhile,  sat  mute  anS  motion  ess  on  the  bottom  of 
Scaseefther  dubious  of  hi^  own  situation,  or  wilhng  to  allow  time  for 
Se  S'  ofhfs  neighbor  to  subside.    According^,  Tn  a  few  minutes 
after  dspkying  various  threatening  gestures,  (like  some  of  those 
IndLs  we  real  of  in  their  first  interviews  with  the  whites,J  she  be^n 
to  make  her  approaches,  but  with  great  circumspection,  an^  readiness 
for^eteeat    Sing,  however,  thc'jay  begin  to  pick  up  some  crumbs 
of  broken  chestoit^  in  a  humble  and  peaceable  way,  she  also  descend- 
ed  anu  be  "an  to  do  the  same;  but,  at  tlie  slightest  motion  of  her 
ne  w  gues^whee^d  round,  and  put  herself  on  the  defensive.    All  this 
Sonfous  jealousy  vanished  before  evening;  and  they  now  roost 
Ser  feed,  and  play  together,  in  perfect  harmony  and  good  humor. 
XnUie  Jay  goes  to  drink,  his  messmate  very  impudently  jumps 
So  tJie  water  to^vash  herself,  throwing  the  water  in  sho-f^s  over  her 
companion,  who  bears  it  all  patiently ;  venturing  now  and  then  to  take 
a  sTpTetw^en  every  splash,  without  betray  ng  the  ^"lallest  token  o 
irritation.    On  tlie  contrary,  he  seems  to  take  pleasure  in  his  little  fel- 
STprisoner,  allowing  her  to  pick  (which  she  does  very  gently)  about 
hirEkere  and  to  clean  his  claws  from  the  minute  fragments  of 
cLmutewWch  happen  to  adhere  to  them.    This  attachment  on  the 
one  pat  and  mild  condescension  on  the  other,  may  Perhaps  be  partiy 
the  effect  of  mutual  misfortunes,  which  are  found  not  only  to  knit 
mankind,  but  many  species  of  inferior  animals,  more  closely  together, 
STows  that  tJd  sposition  of  the  Blue  Jay  may  behuman^ed^ 
-      •         entihle  if  affectioTiate  impressionB,  even  for  those  birds 


BLUE  JAY.  5 

'''IS^f"  *  ^^  of  nature,  he  would  have  no  hesitation  in  making  a 

He  is  not  only  bold  and  vociferous,  but  possesses  a  considerable 
talent  for  nunnery,  and  seems  to  enjoy  great  satisfaction  in  mockinir 
and  teasing  other  birds,  particularly  the  Little  Hawk,  (F.  sparveiiujL) 
imitating  his  cry  wherever  he  sees  him,  and  squealing  out  as  if  caught  • 
this  soon  brings  a  number  of  his  own  tribe  around  him,  who  aU  join  in 
the  frolic,  darting  about  the  Hawk,  and  feigning  the  cries  of  a  bird 
sorely  wounded,  and  already  under  the  clutches  of  its  devourer :  while 
others  lie  concealed  in  bushes,  ready  to  second  their  associates  in  the 
attack.  But  this  ludicrous  farce  often  terminates  tragically.  The 
tlawk,  singling  out  one  of  the  most  insolent  and  provoking,  sweeps 
upon  him  in  an  unguarded  moment,  and  offers  him  up  a  sacrifice  to 
his  hunger  and  resentment.  In  an  instant  the  tune  is  changed;  all 
their  buffoonery  vanishes,  and  loud  and  incessant  screams  proclaim 
their  disaster. 

Wherever  the  Jay  has  had  the  advantage  of  education  from  man, 
he  has  not  only  shown  himself  an  apt  scholar,  but  his  suavity  of  man- 
ners seems  equalled  only  by  his  art  and  contrivances;  though  it  must 
be  confessed,  that  his  itch  for  thieving  keeps  pace  with  all  his  otlier 
acquiremente.  Dr.  Mease,  on  the  autliority  of  Colonel  Postell,  of 
South  Carolina,  informs  me,  that  a  Blue  Jay,  which  was  brought  up  in 
the  family  of  the  latter  gentleman,  had  all  the  tricks  and  loquacity  of 
a  parrot;  pilfered  every  thing  he  could  convenientiy  carry  off,  and  hid 
them  m  holes  and  crevices;  answered  to  his  name  with  great 
sociability,  when  called  on;  could  articulat.,  a  number  of  words  pretty 
distinctly ;  and,  when  he  heard  an  uncommon  noise,  or  loud  talkin<T, 
seemed  impatient  to  contribute  his  share  to  the  general  festivity  (m 
he  probably  iJiought  it)  by  a  display  of  all  the  oratorical  powera  he 
was  possessed  of.  ^ 

Mr.  Bartram  relates  an  instance  of  the  Jay's  sagacity,  worthy  of 
remark.    "Having  caught  a  Jay  in  the  winter  season,"  says  he,"  I 
turned  him  loose  in  the  greenhouse,  and  fed  him  with  corn,  (zea,  maize,) 
tiie  heart  of  which  they  are  very  fond  of.    This  grain  being  ripe  and 
hard,  the  bird  at  first  found  a  difficulty  in  breaking  it,  as  it  would  start 
from  his  bill  when  he  struck  it    After  looking  about,  and,  as  if  con- 
sidering for  a  moment,  he  picked  up  his  graiii,  carried  and  placed  it 
Close  up  in  a  corner  on  the  shelf,  between  tlie  wall  and  a  plant  box, 
Where,  being  confined  on  three  sides,  he  soon  effected  his  purpose 
and  continued  afterwards  to  make  use  of  this  same  practical  expedient 
1  he  Jay,   contanues  this  judicious  observer,  « is  one  of  the  most  use- 
tul  agents  in  the  economy  of  nature,  for  disseminating  forest-trees, 
and  other  ruciferous  and  hard-seeded  vegetables  on  which  they  feed. 
Iheircfiief  employment,  during  the  autumnal  season,  is  foraging  to 
supply  their  winter  stores.    In  performing  this  necessary  duty,  they 
drop  abundance  of  seed  in  their  flight  over  fields,  hedges,  and  by 
fences,  where  they  alight  to  deposit  them  in  the  post  holes  &c.    It 
IB  remwkable  what  numbers  of  young  trees  rise  up  in  fields  and  pas- 
tures  after  a  wet  winter  and  spring.    These  birds  alone  are  capabll 
m  a  few  years'  time,  to  replant  all  the  cleared  lands."  * 

*  Letter  of  Mr.  Williajn  Dttrlriiin  to  the  author. 
1 


!c;        ^   j 


6 


BL    E   JAY. 


I   lil 


iilii 


T>.o  Wne  Javs  seldom  associate  in  any  cons  deraMe  numbers,  except 
in^eSiTsepteirer  and  October,  when  they  hover  about,  m 
m  ine  raomiw  w  "^^       „  -,«     visitinff  the  oaks,  m  search  of 

one  range  «[ -X^lm^rkas  ?een%"pld  into^m^^  respectable 
Latham,  -  ^n4^^;^„'^^!^^atthe  Blue  Jays  of  North  America  "  often 

SX^tTtie-i^^tt-^^^      i^J  jSS^^^rerS 
fi!.UnftPn  or  twelve  acres,  soon  lay  waste  the  whole.         iiiniswens 

SlylrthesrbTrS  would  justly  ^e-^the  character  he^^^^^^^ 
of  beine  the  most  destructive  species  in  America,  _Bf  fT„^/®"™P 
Se  Ssfrtion,  that  the  tribe  Oiiolwf  phanmvs,  or  Red-wmged  Black- 
SrdTin  the  environs  of  the  River  Delaware  alone,  devour  and  dest^y 
more  IndSn  com  than  the  whole  Blue  Jaysof  North  Americ^    As  to 

nipa  nr  Hiipkoos  would  be  in  Britain.  „  , .  ,  _  ♦«, 

'^  It  has  been  frequently  said,  that  numbers  of  birds  are  common  to 
the  UnTted  States  and  Efurope ;  at  present,  however,  I  am  not  certain 
?f  Jinv  romDarinff  the  ^st  descriptions  and  delineations  of  the 
Ir™  ea'n  oSrS^Ke  of  our  nativ'e  b^s,  said  to  be  o^  the  s^^^^ 

r '^' ^!S?hStfT  UieTattor^S^^^^^^ 

plumage  and  ^a^^^^^^^j^^^^^^^^^       ^      jes.    Be  this,  however,  as 

r^mCS^CeTay  ap;ea«\rbelong  exclusively  to  Nortli  Amerjcau 

Urnorfind  it  me'ntiSLd  H  any  writer  or  trave^^^^^^ 

of  Guiana,  BrazU,  or  any  other  part  o^^ouUi  A.^"-  ^o^^l 

rttrersfen"n%ts'wiW^^^^^ 

SfS^n^rbot^^^^^^^ 

S=^ti?no?r^^^^^^ 

Se  S  Ky  in^AsT  sW,'who,  in  1741,  accomnamed 
cSin  Behring  in  his  expedition  for  the  discovery  of  the  north-west 
Sof'XSa,  and  wh^  wroto  the  Jou"-!  ofjhe^vgrage,  rdato^ 
that  he  himself  went  on  shore  near  Cape  St  Ebas,  in  IN.  lat.  DO"  ^, 
*  S.jnnr,sU  of  Birds,  vol.  i.  p.  387.    See  also  Encyclopaedia  BrUarmica,  art 

-  "vus. 
{  Sunorsis.  vol.  i.  p.  387.  ...  „ 

t  History  of  New  Hampulure,  vol.  ill.  R- *°^,-    „  .  „  ,««, 
\  Voyages  from  Montreal,  ^-c.  p.  216, 4to.,  London,  1801. 


J 


YELLOW-BIRD,  OR  GOLDFINCH.  7 

W.  ion.  141"  46',  aopording  to  his  estimation,  where  he  obseired 
several  species  of  birds  not  knoum  in  Siheria ;  and  one,  in  particular, 
described  by  Catesby,  under  the  name  of  the  Blue  Jay.*  Mr.  William 
Bartram  inrorms  me,  that  they  are  numerous  in  the  peninsula  of  Flor- 
ida, and  that  he  also  found  them  at  Natchez,  on  the  Mississippi. 
Captains  Lewis  and  Clark,  and  their  intrepid  companions,  in  their 
memorable  expedition  across  the  continent  of  North  America  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  continued  to  see  Blue  Jays  for  six  hundred  miles  up  the 
Mi8Souri.t  From  these  accounts  it  follows,  that  this  species  occupies, 
generally  or  partially,  an  extent  of  country  stretching  upwards  of 
seventy  degrees  from  east  to  west,  and  more  than  thirty  degrees  from 
north  to  south;  though,  from  local  circumstances,  there  may  be  inter- 
mediate tracts,  in  this  immense  range,  which  they  seldom  visit. 


TELLOW-BIRD,  OR  GOLDFINCH. 

Fio.  2. 


•  FRINGILLA  TRISTIS. 


Liim.  9ytt.  i.  p.  320.  —  Carduelis  Americana,  Briss.  iii.  p.  6, 3. — Le  Chare 'lonerat 

iaone,  Buf.  iv.  p.  112.  PL  ad.  202,  fo.  2.  — American  Goldfinch,  Arct.  Zool.  ii. 
lo.  242.  —  Edw.  n4,.  —  Lath.  8m.  iii.  p.  288, 67.  Id.  Sup.  p.  166.  —  Bartrtm, 
p.  290.  —  Peak's  Museum,  No.  6344. 

CARDUELIS  .^JlfEfi/OJJVA  — Edwaedi. 

New  York  Siskin,  Perm.  Arct.  Zool.  p.  372.  (Male  changing  his  plumage,  and  the 
male  in  liis  winter  dress  taken  for  female,  auct.  Stoains.) — Fringilla  tristis, 
Bonap.  8yn.  p.  Ill,  No.  181.  —  Carduelis  AmericBna,  North,  Zool.  ii.  p.  268. 

This  bird  is  four  inches  and  a  half  in  length,  and  eight  inches  in 
extent,  of  a  rich  lemon  yellow,  fading  into  white  towards  the  rump 
and  vent  The  wings  and  tail  are  black,  the  former  tipped  and  edged 
with  white ;  the  interior  webs  of  the  latter  are  also  white ;  the  fore 
part  of  the  head  is  black,  the  bill  and  legs  of  a  reddish  cinnamon 
color.  This  is  the  summer  dress  of  the  male ;  but  in  the  month  of 
September  the  yellow  gradually  changes  to  a  brown  olive,  and  the 
male  and  female  are  then  nearly  alike.  They  build  a  very  neat  and 
delicately-formed  little  nest,  which  they  fasten  to  the  twigs  of  an 
apple-tree,  or  to  the  strong,  branching  stalks  of  hemp,  covering  it  on 
the  outside  with  pieces  of  lichen,  which  tliey  find  on  the  trees  and 
fences ;  these  they  glue  together  with  their  saliva,  and  afterwards  line 
the  inside  with  the  softest  downy  substances  they  can  procure.  The 
female  lays  five  eggs,  of  a  dull  white,  thickly  marked  at  the  greater 
end ;  and  they  generally  raise  two  broods  in  a  season.  The  males  do 
not  arrive  at  their  perfect  plumage  until  the  succeeding  spniig ;  want- 
ing, during  that  time,  the  black  on  the  head,  and  the  white  on  the 
wings  being  of  a  :ream  color.    In  the  month  of  April,  they  begin  to 

'  See  Stem.ek's  Journal,  apud  Pallas. 
t  This  fact  I  had  froni  Captain  Lewis. 


11^ 


8 


"SELLOW-BIRD,  OR  GOLDFINCH. 


chuure  their  winter  dress,  and,  before  the  middle  of  May,  appear  in 
brilliant  yellow:  the  whole  pliunage  towards  ita  roots  is  of  a  dusky 

bluish  black.  .        „  ,     /-,  , ,/.    i     i? 

The  sonjr  of  the  Yellow-Bird  resembles  that  of  the  Goldfinch  of 
Britain:  but  is  in  general  so  weak  as  to  appear  to  proceed  from  a 
considerable  distance,  when  perhaps  the  bird  is  perched  on  the  tree 
over  your  head.  I  have,  however,  heard  some  sing  m  cages  wiUi 
great  energy  and  animation.  On  their  first  arrival  in  Pennsylvania, 
m  February,  and  until  early  in  April,  they  associate  in  flocks,  Ire- 
quenUy  assembling  in  great  numbers  on  the  same  tree  to  bask  and 
dress  themselves  in  the  morning  sun,  singing  m  concert  for  halt  ar 
hour  together;  the  confused  mingling  of  tlieir  notes  forming  a  kinc 
of  harmony  not  at  all  unpleasant* 

About  the  last  of  November,  and  someUmes  sooner,  they  generally 
leave  Pennsylvania,  and  proceed  to  the  south ;  some,  however,  are 
seen  even  in  the  midst  of  the  severest  winters.  Their  flight  is  not 
direct,  but  in  alternate  risings  and  sinkii.gs ;  twittering  as  tliey  fly,  at 
each  successive  impulse  of  tlie  wings.t  During  the  latter  part  ot 
summer  they  are  almost  constant  visitants  in  our  gardens,  in  search 

•  Carduelis  of  Brisson,  having  types  in  the  common  Goldfinch  and  Siskin  of  this 
eounuy,  is  now  generally  used  as  the  generic  appellation  for  Uie  group  to  which 
our  present  spe.Tcs  bcl  ngs.  It  contains  several  American  and  European  speaes. 
They  are  cloSely  allied  to  the  true  Linnets ;  and  he  lesser  Red-Poll  (the  FmneiUa 
lifJia  auctorum)  has  even  by  some  been  ranked  with  U.em.  They  also  much  re- 
semble the  latte.  group  in  their  manners,  their  haunts,  their  breeding,  and  feeding. 
Every  one  who  his  lived  much  in  the  country,  must  have  often  remarked  the  com- 
mon European  Gray  Linnets,  in  the  manner  above  descnbed  of  Uie  American  Uold- 
finch,  coneregatiug  towards  the  close  of  a  tine  wmter's  evening,  perched  on  the 
summit  of  some  bire  tree,  pluming  themselves  in  the  last  rays  of  the  sun,  cheruping 
the  commencement  of  their  evening  song,  and  then  bursting  simultaneously  into  one 
general  chorus;  again  resuming  their  single  strains,  and  again  loinmg,  as  if  happy, 
End  rejoicing  at  thS  termination  of  their  dav's  employment.  Mr.  Audubon  has  re- 
marked the  same  trait  in  their  manners,  aiuf  confirms  the  resemblance  of  their  notes  . 
"  So  much  does  the  song  of  our  Goldfinch  resemble  that  of  the  European  soecies, 
that,  whilst  in  France  aid  England,  1  have  frenuently  thought  and  with  pleasure 
thouffht.  that  they  were  the  notes  of  our  own  bird  winch  I  heard.   —  l^D. 

i  The  fliffht  of  the  American  Goldfinch,  and  its  manners  dunng  it,  are  descnbed 
by  Mr.  Audubon  with  greater  minuteness :  it  is  exactly  similar  to  the  European 
bird  of  the  same  name,  being  performed  in  deep  curvedlines.  alternately  rising  and 
falline,  after  each  propelling  motion  of  Uie  wings.  It  scarcely  ever  describes  one 
ofthose  curves,  without  uttering  two  or  three  notes  whilst  ascending,  such  as  it? 
European  relative  uses  on  similar  occasions.  In  this  manner  its  flight  is  proloneea 
to  considerable  distances,  and  it  frequently  moves  in  a  cirehug  direction  betore 
aliehtinff.  Their  migration  is  performed  during  the  day.  They  seldom  alight  on 
the  ground,  unless  to  procure  water,  in  which  they  wash  with  great  liveliness  and 
pleMUre ;  after  which  they  pick  up  some  particles  of  gravel  and  sand.  So  lend  ot 
each  other's  company  are  they,  that  a  party  of  them  soaring  on  the  wing  wil  alter 
their  course  at  the  calling  of  a  single  one  perched  on  a  tree.  This  call  is  uttered 
with  much  emphasis:  the  bird  prolongs  its  usual  note,  without  much  alteration ; 
and.  as  Uie  party  approaches,  erects  its  body,  and  moves  to  Uie  right  and  lett,  as  it 
turning  on  a  pivot,  apparently  pleased  at  showing  the  beauty  of  lU  plumage  and 
eleeance  of  its  manners.  .......  j  •    . 

This  natural  group  has  been  long  celebrated  for  their  docility,  and  easy  instroc- 
Uon,  whether  in  music,  or  to  perform  a  variety  of  tricks.  They  are,  conaequentW, 
favorites  with  bird-fanciers,  ahd  often  doomed  to  undergo  a  severe  and  cruel  dis- 
cipline. The  Goldfinch,  Canary,  the  various  Linnets,  Uie  Siskin,  and  Chaffinch,  we 
pnncipally  used  for  this  purpose  j  and  it  is  often  astonishing,  and  almost  incredible, 
with  viiiai  corrccurcas  uicT  mii  uw^v  iiro   »«ii»-  •!•   ••• 


VELLOW-BIRD.  OR  GOLDFINCH. 


9- 


ot  8eed8,  which  they  dislodge  from  the  husk  with  great  address,  while 
hanginff,  frequently  head  downwards,  in  the  manner  of  the  Titmouse, 
from  these  circumstances,  as  well  as  from  their  color,  they  are  very 
generally  known,  and  pass  by  various  names  expressive  of  their  food, 
color,  &c.,  such  as  Thistle-Bird,  Lettuce-Bird,  Sulad-3ird,  Yellow-Bird. 

ui*  ^  gardeners,  who  supply  the  city  of  Philadelphia  with  veffe- 
tables,  often  take  thorn  m  trap-cages,  and  expose  them  for  sale  in 
market.  1  hey  are  easily  familiarized  to  confinement,  and  feed  with 
seeming  indifference  a  few  hours  after  being  taken. 

The  great  resemblance  which  the  Yellow-Bird  bears  to  the  Canary 
has  miado  many  persons  attempt  to  pair  individuals  of  tlie  two  species 
together.  An  ingenious  French  gentleman,  who  resides  in  Pottsgrove. 
Pennsylvania,  assured  me,  that  he  had  tried  the  male  Yellow-Bird  with 
the  lernale  Canary,  and  the  female  Yellow-Bird  with  the  male  Canary 
but  without  effect,  though  he  kept  them  for  several  years  togethw* 
and  supplied  tliem  with  propor  materials  for  building.  Mr.  flassey 
of  New  York,  however,  who  keeps  a  great  number  of  native  as  weU 
as  foreign  birds,  informed  me,t}iat  a  Yellow-Bird  paired  with  a  Canary 
m  his  possession,  and  laid  eggs,  but  did  not  hatch,  which  he  attributed 
to  tfie  lateness  of  the  season. 

These  birds  were  seen  by  Mr.  M'Kenzie,  in  his  route  across  the 
continent  ot  North  America,  as  far  north  as  lat  54° ;  they  are  numer- 
ous m  all  the  Atlantic  states  north  of  the  Carolinas ;  abound  in 
Mexico,  and  are  also  found  in  great  numbers  in  the  savannahs  of 
Guiana. 

The  seeds  of  tlie  lettuce,  thistle,  hemp,  fee,  are  their  fkvorite  food; 
and  it  18  pleasant  to  observe  a  few  of  them  at  work  in  a  calm  day 
detaching  i.  e  thistle-down,  in  search  of  the  seeds,  makinff  it  tlv  m 
clouds  around  them.  *         •' 

The  American  Goldfinch  has  been  figured  and  described  by  Mr 
Catesby,*  who  says,  that  the  back  part  of  the  head  is  a  dirty  green, 
&c.     This  description  must  have  been  taken  while  the  bird  waa 

Syme,  in  his  History  of  British  Son^  Birds,  when  speaking  of  the  Sieur  Roman 
wlio  some  years  since  exhibited  Goldfinches,  Linnets^  anf  Canaries,  ZndeS 
trained  re  atos,  that  "one  appeared  dead,  and  was  held  up  by  the 't^  or  c"aw 
without  exhibiting  any  s.ffns  of  life;  a  second  stood  on  its  iJea/with  it "  daws  i^ 
the  air;  a  third  imitated  a  Dutch  milkmaid  going  to  market  with  pails  on  iu 
shoulders  ;  a  fourth  mimicked  a  Venetian  girl  looking  out  at  a  window  j  a  fiAh  an- 
peared  as  a  soldier,  and  mounted  guard  as  a  sentinel;  and  the  sixth  acted  as  a 
caiinonier,  with  a  cap  on  Us  head,  a  firelock  on  its  shoulder,  and  a  match  in  its  claw 
and  discharged  a  small  cannon.  The  same  bird  also  acted  as  if  it  had  been 
wounded.  It  was  wheeled  m  a  barrow,  to  convey  it,  as  it  were,  to  the  hospital" 
after  which  it  flew  away  before  the  company:  the  seventh  turned  a  kind  of  Wind- 
mill ;  and  the  last  bird  stood  in  the  midst  of  some  fireworks  which  were  dischareed 
all  round  it,  and  this  without  exhibiting  the  least  symptom  of  fear."  The  American 
Goldhnch  13  no  less  docile  than  its  congeners.  Mr.  Audubon  re.ates,  that  thev  are 
often  caught  in  trap-cages ;  and  that  lie  knew  one,  which  had  unJergone  sevem 
raminff,  araw  water  for  Us  drink  from  a  glass,  by  means  of  a  little  chlin  fa^S 
to  a  soft,  leathern  belt  round  its  body,  and  another,  equally  liffht,  fastened  toalUtte 

Seff  with'fk'o^T  h'P'  '^1^'  ^fA'"  '^'  "^^'  =  ''  "«^  afso'Siged  to  s^«W»5 
weds  ^'"^ "  ^    '°  towards  its  bill  a  littie  ch^ot  fiUed  \ni 

Female  is  represented  in  Bonaparte's  continuation.  —.Ed 
•  Nat.  Hist.  Car.  vol.  i.  o.  43 


1 


f^ ' ■  ■ '      ! 


Su,, 


10 


BALTIMORE  ORIOLE. 


Hii 

'  iHi 


Se  Sieid;  tins  it  does  not  receive  until  the  succeeding  spnnj?.* 
The  ficure  in  Edwards  is  considerably  .o  large ;  and  that  by  Catosby 
Ke  wtngsaSd  tail  much  longer  Umn  in  nature  and  tho  body  too 
Blender  -  vc-v  different  from  the  true  form  of  the  living  bird.  Mr. 
Pe=t  also'tllls  us,  that  the  legs  of  this  ^f^f  "^^^^ij^Sno 
however  of  a  bright  cinnamon  color;  but  the  worthy  naturalist,  no 
Soubrdescribed  tfiem  as  he  found  them  in  the  dried  and  «  "f  d  fk'"^ 
Zivelled  up  and  blackened  with  decay,  and  thus  too  much  of  our 
natural  history  has  been  delineated. 


BALTIMORE  ORIOLE -ORIOLUS  BALTIMORE. -Fio.  3. 
tJnn  Suit  i   D.  162,  10.  — lolcnis  Minor,  Bm».  ii.  p.  109, 19,^12,  fig.  l.  —  Le 

D.,U  •>   lUtittiim    Nn.    ir>0(j. 


PmUs  Museum,  No.  IjOC 

ICTERUS  BALTIMORK.  —  liKVwn. 

This  is  a  bird  of  passage,  arriving  in  Pennsylvania,  from  the  south 
about  Sie  beginning  of  May,  and  departing  towards  the  latter  end  of 
August,  or  feginning  of  sLptembcr.f  1  rom  the  singularity  of  its 
cS!  the  construction  of  its  nest,  and  its  preferring  the  apple-trees, 
weejdng  willows,  walnut  and  tulip-trees,  adjoining  the  farm-house,  to 
biSS  of,  it  is  generally  known,  and.  as  usual,  honored  with  a  variety 

•  These  chanRCS  take  place  in  the  Common  Siskin  of -iis  coimtry  :  indeed  changes. 
Mid    nmLy  cases,  simi  ar  to  those  alluded  to,  are  ro.«n,on,  acrordmg  to  .easo,,, 
Zinff  M^'FrivgiUidm  ;  the  Common  Chaffinch  loses  the  pale  gray  of  ns  fore 
K  which  becoml^  deep  blnish  purple  ;  the  heml  and  ba.k  of  the  iWmbhng  or 
heao,  wnicii  O..OU  K  ^io,sv  black  :  and  the  forehead  and  bniasts  ol  the 

£"  JlS  Jrrrru^scTKr&ssumc'a  rich  and  beautiful  cn-son  J, 
are  chefly  produced  bv  the  falling  off  of  the  ends  of  tho  plumules  of  each  feather 
which  before  concealeci  the  richer  tints  of  its  lower  parts  ;  at  other  <™«.»'y^« 
S  chanee  of  color.  The  tint  itself,  liowcver,  is  alwa^rs  much  mcrease.t  i..  oeaMly 
^d  doss  If  these  Jon  for  its  display  advances ;  at  ([s  termmal.on  <fc  general 
fi  „L«,»nP».s  when  the  feathers  are  rep  accd  with  their  new  elongated  lips,  of 
r:irnTbTe  KlVh^olubt,  adds  ^o  the  heat  of  the  wirUer  clothing,  and 
Remain  until  warmer  weather  and  desires  promote  their  dispersion. -En.  . 

T  T^,^in.i  m^^ration  the  fliffht  of  the  Baltimore  is  high  above  all  the  trees,  and  w 
stiKdcSuous  it  s^mostly  performed  during'the  day,  ^  I  have  usually 
oKed  Aem  aliehting  always  singly,  about  the  selCng  of  the  sun,  uttering  a  not« 
Sr^IaildTarttog  into  the  l«^»er  bliiches  to  feed,  ancT  afterward,  to  rest.- A. 


BALTIMORE  ORIOLE. 


11 


of  names,  such  aa  Hang-Nest,  Hangini^-Bird,  Golden  Robin,  Fire-Bird, 
(from  the  bright  oran.n^e  seen  tlirough  tlie  green  leaves,  resembling  a 
flash  of  fircjj  dtc,  but  more  generally  the  Baltimore  Bu-d,  so  named,  as 
Catesby  informn  us,  from  its  colors,  which  are  black  and  orange, 
being  tliose  of  the  anns  or  livery  of  Lord  Baltimore,  formerly  pro- 
prietary of  Maryland. 

Tho  Baltimore  Oriole  is  seven  inches  in  length ;  bill,  almost  straight, 
Hlrong,  tapering  to  a  sharp  point,  blacl<,  and  sometimes  lead-colorod, 
;i!)ove,  the  lower  mandible  light  blue  towards!  tlie  base.  Head,  throat, 
upper  part  of  tlio  back  anu  wings,  black ;  lower  part  of  the  back, 
rutup,  and  whole  under  parts,  a  oright  orunge,  deepening  into  ver- 
milion on  the  breast;  the  black  on  the  shoulders  is  also  divided  by  a 
band  of  orange ;  exterior  edges  of  tho  greater  wing-coverts,  as  well 
as  tlio  edges  of  tlie  secondaries,  and  part  of  tliose  of  tlie  praiaries, 
white ;  the  tail-feathers  under  the  coverts,  orange ;  tlie  two  middle 
ones,  from  thence  to  tlic  tips,  are  black ;  tJie  next  five,  on  each  side, 
black  near  tlie  coverts,  and  orange  towards  tiie  extremities,  so  disposed 
that,  when  the  tail  is  expanded,  and  the  coverts  removed,  the  olack 
appears  in  the  fonn  of  a  pyramid,  supported  on  an  arch  of  orange, 
1  ail,  slightly  forked,  the  exterior  feather  on  each  side,  a  quarter  ot 
an  inch  shorter  tlian  tho  others ;  legs  and  feet,  light  blue,  or  lead 
color ;  iris  of  tho  eye,  hazel. 

The  female  ha;i  tlie  head,  throat,  upper  part  of  tlie  neck  and  back, 
of  a  dull  black,  each  feather  being  skirted  with  olive  yellow  ;  lower 
part  of  tho  back,  rump,  upper  tail-coverts,  and  whole  lower  parts, 
orange  yellow,  but  much  duller  tlian  tliat  of  the  n  ale ;  the  whole 
wing-feathers  are  of  a  deep  dirty  brown,  except  the  quills,  which  are 
exteriorly  edged,  and  the  greater  wing-coverts,  and  next  superior  row, 
which  are  broadly  tipped  with  a  dull  yellowish  white ;  tail,  olive  yellow ; 
in  some  specimens,  tlie  two  middle  feathers  have  been  found  partly 
black,  in  others  wholly  so ;  the  black  on  tlie  throat  does  not  descend 
so  far  as  in  tlic  male,  is  of  a  lighter  tinge,  and  more  irregular  ;  bill, 
legs,  and  claws,  light  blue.* 

Buifon  and  Latham  have  both  described  the  male  of  the  Bastard 
Baltimore  ( Oriolus  apurius)  as  tlie  female  Baltimore.  Mr.  Pennant  has 
committed  the  same  mistake ;  and  all  the  ornithologists  of  Europe, 
with  whose  works  I  am  acquainted,  who  have  undertaken  to  figure  and 
describe  these  birds,  have  mistaken  the  proper  males  and  females,  and 
confounded  the  two  species  together  in  a  very  confused  and  extraor- 
dinary manner,  for  which,  indeed,  we  ought  to  pardon  them,  on  ac- 


mge  of  the  plumas^e  of  this  bird,  according  to  ao;e,  is  beautifully  rcpro- 
10  of  Mr.  Audubon's  pigantic  plates,  together  willi  its  favorite  tuiip-trci', 


*  The  chang 
sciited  on  one  ^ 

and  curious  pensile  nest.  According  to  that  gentleman,  the  in<iJc  does  not  receive 
his  full  plumage  until  the  third  spring.  In  the  male  of  one  .year,  the  bill  la  dark 
brown  above,  pale  blue  beneath  ;  the  iris,  brown ;  feet,  light  "blue.  The  general 
color  is  dull  brownish  yellow,  tinged  with  olive  on  the  head  and  back  ;  the  wings, 
blackish  brown ;  the  quills  and  large  coverts  margined  and  tipped  with  white  ;  tlie 
lesser  coverts  are  olivaceous ;  the  tail,  destitute  o?  black ;  and  the  under  parts  paler 
than  in  the  adult,  without  any  approach  to  the  vivid  orange  tints  displayed  on  it 
In  that  of  the  second  spring,  the  distribution  of  color  has  become  the  same  as  in  the 
adult  male,  but  the  yellow  is  less  vivid ;  the  upper  mandible  is  brownish  black  above, 
and  the  iris  is  light  brown  :  in  the  third  spring,  they  receive  the  rich  and  brilliailt 
olumase  described  bv  our  author.  —  Ed. 


Ml 


I 


11 


!i  I: 


IMORE  ORIOLE. 

««unt  of  theji   WmunB  from  ttie  imtiv  f  rfisidonco  of  iie»o  birds,  uid 
the  itrango  alterations  of  color  whicli  thf-  latter  are  suoject  to. 

This  obscurity  I  have  endeavored  to  J»-.  np  in  tlio  present  volume 
of  this  work,  Pigs.  11,13, 13, 14.  by  exhibiUng  tlio  male  and  female 
of  ilifl  OrioluM  murixu,  '  their  different  changes  of  dress,  as  well  as 
in  their  iJ«rfect  plumage  ,  md  by  introducing  represenUUons  of  the 
'.g|e  of  both,  have,  I  hope,  put  \}w  idenUty  of  these  two  species 
beviMMl  •!!  future  dispute  or  ambiguiU  ,       ,. 

Ahnoht  the  whole  genus  of  Onoles  b.  long  to  America,  and,  with  a 
few  exceptions,  build  pensile  nests.*  Few  of  them,  however,  C(iual 
the  Baltimore  in  the  construction  of  these  receptacles  for  tlioir  young, 
and  in  giving  them,  in  such  a  superior  degree,  convenience,  warmth, 
and  security.  For  tlieae  purposes  he  generally  hxes  on  Uiohigh, 
bending  extremities  of  Uie  branches,  fastening  strong  Htringa  ot  hemp 
or  flax  round  two  forked  twigs,  corresponding  to  tlio  uitended  widUi 
of  the  nest :  with  tlie  same  materials,  mixed  with  quantiUes  ot  loose 
tow,  ho  interweaves  or  fabricates  a  strong,  firm  kind  of  cloth,  not  un- 
like tiio  substance  of  a  hat  in  its  raw  state,  forming  it  into  a  jwuch  ot 
six  or  seven  inches  in  depUi,  lining  it  BubstantiaHy  with  various  soft 
BubsUinces,  well  interwoven  witli  tlie  outward  netting,  and,  lastly,  hn- 
ishes  with  a  layer  of  horse  hair;  the  whole  being  shaded  from  the 
sun  and  rain  by  a  natural  pent-house,  or  canopy  of  leaves.  As  to  a 
hole  being  left  in  the  side  for  \ho  young  to  be  fed  and  void  tlieir 
excrements  tlirough,  as  Pennant  and  others  relate,  it  is  certainly  an 
error :  I  have  never  met  witli  any  thing  of  the  kind  in  the  nest  ot  the 
Baltimore. 

Though  birds  of  tlio  same  species  have,  generally  speaking,  a  com- 
mon form  of  building,  yet,  contrary  to  the  usually  received  q)mion, 
they  do  not  build  exactly  in  the  same  manner.  As  much  ditference 
will  be  found  in  the  style,  neatness,  iin.l  finishing  of  tlie  nests  of  tlie 
Baltimores,  as  in  their  voices.    Some  appear  far  superior  workmen  to 

•  The  true  Orioles,  having  the  Onolus  galbula  of  Europe  and  Africa,  wilh  O. 
melanoceplialui  of  India,  as  typical,  are  entirely  excluded  from  the  New  World; 
nevertheless  Wilson  was  pertcctlv  correct,  meaning  the  Icten  of  Brisson,  which 
are  nearly  confined  to  North  and  rfoulh  America,  represent  the  Onoles  in  that  couii- 
try,  and  have  now  been  arranged  into  several  genera.    These  contain  many  species 
remarkable  as  well  for  their  elegant  form  and  bright  and  beautilul  plumage,  as  for 
Uie  singular  and  often  matchless  workmanship  of  Cheir  nests.     1  he  materials  of  the 
latter  we  woven  and  entwined  in  such  a  way  as  would  defy  the  skill  of  the  most 
«-xpcrt  seamstress,  and  unite  all  llie  rc(iuisites  of  dryness,  security,  and  warmth, 
'"hey  are  mostly  pendulous  from  Uie  ends  of  branches,  and  form  thus  a  security 
Irorn  snakes  or  other  depredators,  which  could  easily  reach  them  il  placed  on  a 
more  solid  foundation.    They  are  formed  of   the  dllferent  grasses,  of  dry  roots, 
lichens,  lone  and  slender  mosses,  and  in  the  present  instances,  mentioiK  1  by  our 
auUi.  ,,  of  substances  which  could  not  occur  in  the  early  or  really  nati..  i'  Jtiii-  of 
the  comitry,  but  had  been  adopted  cither  ff  n  necessity,  or  "  mth  the  mirar.'i  .'fa. 
good  architect,"  improving  every  circumstance  to  the  best  aavantaee      A  f.\«ig,  C 
different  species,  they  vary  in  shape,  from  being  round  or  rcsemblii.     »  > ,  ,,piu, 
ball,  tu  nearly  every  bottle-shaped  gradation  of  form,  until  they  exceed  three  or  lour 
feet  in  length.    Many  species  being  gregarious,  they  breed  numerously  on  the  same 
trrfi.  and  thfiir  nests,  suspended  from  the  pensile  branches,  and  wavinff  in  the  wind, 
rei.clT  ihe  landscape  and  woods  singular  to  an  unaccustomed  eye,  an*  present  ajj- 
psr.     1  .es  which  those  only  who  have  hart  the  good  fortune  to  witness  them  in  their 
mUiv..    \\\i  cDi  aporeciate. 
Tht.     .  t?     jives-by  Wilson,  in  fig.  212.  — Ed. 


BALTIMt     K  cmiOT^E. 


13 


others ;  am  probably  age  may  ii  provo  them  in  this,  aa  it  doe*  in  their 
colors.  I  liavo  a  numbtir  of  their  lurtts  now  before  me,  all  completed, 
and  with  egga.  One  of  tiivt^e,  the  neatcHr,  is  in  tlie  form  of  a  cylin- 
<lor,  of  five  inches'  diameter,  n  '1  seven  in(  lu  «  in  deptli,  rounded  at 
bottom.  The  opening  at  top  in  narrownd,  by  a  liorizonfal  covering',  to 
two  inches  and  a  half  in  diameter,  'i'lic  materials  are  flax,  li(int>.  tow, 
hair,  ond  wool,  woven  into  a  complete  clc^-'i;  the  whole  titjrhtly  scivcd 
through  and  through  with  long  horse  hairw,  sevorril  of  which  niea*iure 
two  feet  in  length.  The  bottom  is  composed  of  thick  tufts  of  cow  hair, 
sowed  also  with  stronw  horse  hair.  This  nest  was  hung  on  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  horizontal  branch  of  an  anplo-tree,  fronting  the  south- 
oast  ;  was  visible  a  hundred  yards  off,  though  shadcsd  from  tlie  sun ; 
tind  was  the  work  of  a  very  beautiful  and  perfect  bird.  The  eggs  are 
hve,  white,  slightly  tinged  witli  flesh  color,  marked  on  tlie  greater  end 
with  purple  dots,  and  on  the  other  parts  witli  long  hair-like  linos,  in- 
tersecting each  otlier  in  a  variety  of  directions.  I  am  thus  minute  in 
these  particulars,  from  a  wish  to  point  out  the  specific  differen<'0  b<!- 
tween  the  True  and  Bastard  Baltimore,  which  Dr.  Latham,  and  some 
others,  suspct  to  bo  only  tlic  same  bird  in  different  stages  of  color. 

So  solicitous  is  the  Baltimore  to  procure  proper  materials  for  His 
nest,  that,  in  the  season  of  building,  the  women  in  the  country  ^ro 
under  the  necessity  of  narrowly  watching  their  thread  that  m  v 
chance  to  be  out  bleaching,  and  the  farmer  to  secure  his  young  frralLs ; 
as  the  Baltimore,  finding  the  former,  and  tlie  strings  which  tie  tlio 
latter,  so  well  adapted  for  his  purpose,  frequently  carries  off  botli ;  or, 
should  the  one  be  too  heavy,  and  the  other  too  hrmly  tied,  he  will  tug 
at  them  a  considerable  time  before  he  gives  up  the  attempt  Skains 
of  silk  and  hanks  of  thread  have  been  oflen  found,  atler  the  leaves 
were  fallen,  hanging  round  the  Baltimore's  nest ;  but  so  woven  up, 
and  entangled,  as  to  be  entirely  irreclaimabli'.  Before  the  introduc- 
tion of  P^uropeans,  no  such  material  could  have  been  obtained  here ; 
but,  with  the  sagacity  of  a  good  architect,  lie  has  improved  this  cir- 
cumstance to  his  advantage  ;  and  the  strongest  and  best  materials  are 
uniformly  found  in  those  parts  by  which  the  whole  is  supported. 

Their  principal  food  consists  of  caterpillars,  beetles,  and  bugs,  par- 
ticularly one  of  a  brilliant  glossy  green,  fragments  of  which  I  have 
almost  always  found  in  their  stomach,  and  sometimes  ttiese  only. 

The  song  of  the  Baltimore  is  a  clear,  mellow  whistle,  repeated  at 
short  intervals,  as  he  gleans  among  the  branches.  There  is  in  it  a 
certain  wild  plaintiveness  and  naivete  extremely  interesting.  It  is  not 
uttered  with  tlie  rapidity  of  the  T'erruginous  Thrush,  ( Turdus  ruf'm,)  and 
some  other  eminent  songsters  ;  but  with  the  pleasing  tranquillity  of  a 
careless  ploughboy,  whistling  merely  for  his  own  amusement  When 
alarmed  by  an  approach  to  his  nest,  or  any  such  circumstance,  he 
makes  a  kind  of  rapid  cheruping,  very  different  from  his  usual  note. 
This,  however,  is  always  succeeded  by  those  mellow  tones  which  seem 
Bo  congenial  to  his  nature. 


Iligffi  on  yon  poplar,  clad  in  plossicst  green, 
The  orans'o  blai-k-rappcd  Haltimore  is  seen  ; 
The  firi  .u\  extended  boughs  slill  please  him  best; 
Beneath  th^ir  bending  skirts  he  hangs  his  nest  j 
O 


14  BALTIMORE  ORIOLE. 

There  his  sweet  male,  secure  from  every  harm, 
Broods  o'er  her  spotted  store,  and  wraps  them  warm  } 
Lists  to  the  noontide  liuni  of  busy  l>ces, 
Her  partner's  mellow  song,  the  brook,  the  breeze } 
These  day  by  dav  the  lonely  hours  deceive, 
From  dewy  morn'  to  slow  descending  eve. 
Two  weeks  elapsed,  behold  !  a  helpless  crew 
Claim  all  her  care,  and  her  afl'ectioa  too  ; 
On  wings  of  love  the  assiduous  nurses  fly. 
Flowers,  leaves,  and  boughs,  abundant  food  supply ; 
Glad  chants  the.r  guardian,  us  abroad  he  goes, 
And  waving  breezes  rock  tliem  to  repose. 

The  Baltimore  inhubits  North  America  from  Canada  to  Mexico, 
luid  is  even  found  as  far  sotitli  as  Brazil.  Since  the  streets  of  our 
cities  have  been  planted  with  that  beautiful  and  stately  tree,  the  Lom- 
bardy  poplar,  tliesc  birds  are  our  constant  vi'^itors  durmg  the  early 
part  of  summer;  and,  amid  the  noise  and  tumult  of  coaches,  drays, 
wheelbarrows,  and  tlie  din  of  the  multitude,  they  are  heard  chantuig 
"their  native  wood  notes  wild;"  sometimes,  too,  withm  a  few  yards 
of  an  oysterman,  who  stands  bellowin<r,  with  the  lungs  of  a  Stentor, 
imder  tlie  shade  of  the  same  tree ;  so  mucli  will  habit  reconcile  even 
birds  to  the  roar  of  the  city,  and  to  sounds  and  noises,  that,  in  other 
circumstances,  would  put  a  whole  grove  of  them  to  flight 

These  birds  are  several  years  in  receiving  their  complete  plumage. 
Sometimes  the  whole  tail"  of  a  male  individual  in  spring  is  yellow, 
sometimes  only  the  two  middle  ieatliers  are  black,  and  frequently  the 
black  on  the  bade  is  skirted  with  oraii<re,  and  the  tail  tipped  with  the 
same  color.  Three  years,  I  have  reason  to  believe,  are  necessary  to 
lix  tlio  full  tint  of  tlie  plumage,  and  tiien  tlic  male  bird  appears  aa 
already  described.* 

*  Tlie  following  interesting  account  has  been  furnished  to  the  publisher  of  this 
o<lition. 

"At  your  re(, 
ill  mv  care  between  ^      . 

vcrv"youiig,widi  three  others;  but,  being  im.'!;ilo( .......^  . 

livcil  I  lau-'ht  it  to  fetd  from  mv  moutli.  ;md  il  would  olleii  alight  on  mv  hnger, 
and  strike  the  end  with  its  bill,  until  I  raJM-.l  it  lo  my  mouth,  when  it  would  insert 
iis  bill  and  o|)eii  mv  lips,  by  using  its  upper  and  lower  mandibles  as  levers,  and 
then  take  out  whalevcr  I  migiit  have  lliere  for  It.  ,     ,,.  ,.  e-, 

'•  None,  who  have  noted  liic  Oriolo,  c;iii  have  overlooked  this  peculiar  power  ot  its 
mandibles,  bestowed  by  a  wise  and  good  I'rovidence  for  gently  opening  the  closed- 
up  bud  or  leaf,  and  seizing  the  concealed  insoil.  It  sometimes  takes  peas  m  the 
SHinoinaniipr,  leaving  the  open  and  empty  pod  on  the  vine.  ,      •      r     .. 

"  [>i  winter,  spring,  and  autumn,  I  kept  a  little  cage  lined  with  cotton  batting  lor  the 
bird  lo  pass  the  nigiit  in,  and,  towards  evening,  it  would  leave  Us  large  cage,  and 
flv  to  tins-  Al\er  enlering,  if  I  did  not  dose  up  the  aperture  with  eoltoii,  it  would 
do  so  itself  by  pulling  the  cotton  from  the  sides  of  the  cage,  iinlil  it  had  shut  up  all 
openings  for  the  cold  lo  enter.  I  icd  it  with  sponge  cake  ;  and  when  this  became 
dry  and  hard,  and  it  wanU^d  some  softer,  it  would  make  its  wants  known  to  me  by 
its'  look  and  note,  and  if  I  did  not  very  soon  attend  to  it,  it  would  take  up  a  piece 
of  the  hard  cake,  carry  it  lo  the  saucer  of  water,  and  drop  it  in,  and  move  it  about, 
until  it  was  siiilicienlly  soil  lo  W  eaten. 

"  111  \  <rv  cold  weAtlier,  the  bird  would  leave  its  cage,  fly  to  me,  run  under  my 
cane,  and  place  ilself  on  mv  neck.     Conslantly,  during  the  day,  when  it  was  at  lib- 

'  '.  '    ■     .  ,  "f,  1       .t .. 11. «     n...t     lli.nnfl     Cv^^n.     .1111    ^'"heil     M. 

or 
d 


quest  I  send  you  the  following  history  of  a  Baltimore  Oriole,  that  I  had 
tweeu  seven  and  eight  years.  'J'liis  bird  I  took  from  the  nest  when 
■    ■  ■  .    .  .-•  '•"' ill  tiikiiif.- care  of  them,  this  only 


erty,  it  would  perch  on  my'fingor,  and  draw  my  needle  and  thread  from  me  when 
was  sewing.  At  such  linies,  if  any  child  approached  me  and  pnlleit.  my  cape  o 
dress  a  iiiiie,  it  would  ehoiC  after  ihe  oflentler,  with  its  wings  .".iid  tai!  spread,  aa 


111! 


WOOD  THRUSH. 


WOOD  THRUSH.— TURDUS  MELODUS.  — Fio.  4. 

Bartram,  p.  290.  —  PecUe's  Museum,  No.  6264. 


16 


15.  —  Peim. 


TURDUS  MUS  TEUJVUS.  —  Gmkli  N. 

Turdus  mustelinus,  Gm.  Linn.  ii.  817,  No.  57.  —  Bouap.  Syrwp.  p. 
Arct.  Zool.  ii.  p.  337.  —  'J'lie  Wood  Trush,  Aud.  p.  372. 

■  Particular  attention  has  been  paid  to  render  the  figure  of  this  bird 
a  faithful  likeness  of  the  original  in  Wilson's  edi  ton.  It  measures 
eight  inches  in  lengtli,  and  tliirtcen  from  tip  to  t  j  of  the  expanded 
wings  ;  tlie  bill  is  an  inch  long ;  t!ie  upper  niandibk,  of  a  dusky  brown, 
bent  at  the  point,  and  slightly  notclied;  tlie  lower,  a  flesh  color 
towards  tiie  base ;  the  legs  are  long,  and,  as  well  as  the  claws,  of  a 
pale  flesh  color,  or  almost  transparent.  The  whole  upper  parts  are 
of  a  brown  fulvous  color,  brigiitening  into  reddish  on  the  licad,  and 
inclining  to  an  olive  on  the  riunp  and  tail ;  chin,  white ;  throat  and 
breast,  white,  tinged  with  a  light  buff  color,  and  beautifully  marked 

bijfli   resentment  iu  its  eye,  wliich  nothing  would  allay  but  a  cessation  of  the 
onencc. 

"  One  afternoon,  I  loft  this  bird  in  a  cage  witlj  a  rccpntly-cauglil  Red-Bird,  on  the 
piazza  under  my  open  chamber  window,  and  on  my  return  towards  evening  I  found 
my  Oriole  in  my  chamber  perched  an'',  peering  out  from  under  the  collar  of  one  of 
my  dresses,  (which  was  its  usual  custom  wlien  I  left  it  at  liberty  during  my  ab- 
sence.) and  the  Red-Bird  gone. 

"  'i  he  next  day,  I  put  my  Oriole  out  again  in  the  same  cage,  and  then  learned 
how  I  lost  my  Red-Bird.  The  door,  or  entrance  to  the  cage,  was  made  of  five  or  six 
round  sticks  that  passed  through  some  holes  vn  one  side  of  the  opening,  into  some 
holes  on  the  other  side,  very  much,  i*'  not  exactly,  like  a  farmer's  bars,  which  let  down 
one  after  the  other.  About  five  o'clock,  I  observed  my  bird  trying  to  draw  my 
attention  to  its  wants,  which  were  to  come  into  the  room.  As  I  did  not  immediately 
attend  to  it,  I  saw  it  go  down  to  the  "  bars,"  and,  while  it  held  on  to  the  side  of  the 
c-f.ge,  it  took  the  "  bars  "  in  its  mouth  and  moved  them,  until  it  had  got  two  or  three 
down,  thus  making  an  opening  large  enough  to  allow  it  to  come  into  the  chamber. 

"  'I'hisbird  made  many  jouineys  with  mo,  and  always  appeared  to  be  happy  and 
contented  could  it  be  near  nie,  although  shut  u|)  in  a  cagf;  six  inches  long,  and  eight 
or  ten  inches  high  and  wide,  with  a  grooii  cloth  covering,  drawn  together  at  top 
with  tape,  leaving  an  opening  for  it  to  look  out  and  see  me,  and  receive  liule 
<'ruinb.j,  &c.  It  flew,  at  one  time,  from  fright,  out  of  the  ladies'  cabin  in  the  steam- 
boat, just  before  starting  for  Albany,  up  into  the  city  of  New  York,  and  no  one  on 
board  could  tell  which  way  the  bird  went.  iMy  husband,  who  knew  how  much  (he 
habits  of  the  bird  haa  been  changed  by  domestication,  thought  it  must  have  taken 
reftige  in  the  first  open  dwelling ;  and  so  it  proved,  for  it  had  flown  up  the  street,  and 
entered  a  new  building,  the  windows  of  which  were  unglazed.  At  another  time,  ir. 
Portsmouth,  N.  II.,  it  new  away,  and  none  could  say  where  it  went ;  but  we  regained 
it  by  looking  into  the  nearest  open  building,  which  was  a  livery  stable,  where  we 
found  the  bird  standing  on  the  stall  between  two  horses. 

"  In  sickness,  when  I  liave  been  confined  to  th-?  bed,  my  bird  would  visit  my  pillow 
many  times  during  the  day,  often  creening  under  the  bed-clothes  to  me.  At  such 
times  it  always  appeared  depressed  and  low  spirited.  When  it  wanted  to  bathe,  it 
would  approach  me  with  a  very  expressive  look,  and  shake  its  wings.  On  my  re- 
turn home  from  a  cali  or  visit,  it  wv-uld  invariably  show  its  pleasure  by  a  pecu*'ar 
8ound. 

P.  A.  MESSER. 

"Connecticut  River  Vali  tr, 
"'  July  10,  1333." 


:l 


16 


MOOD  THRUSH. 


ot  the  mourn, aim  II  fej    of  a  pure  white;  a  narrow  circle  of 

^Thrushes  diS^^^^^  little,  a-s  scarcely  to  be  distinguished  from  each 
S  Itis'calledbysome  tlie  Wood  Robin,  by  others  the  Ground 
Rnhi;  and  bv  some  of  our  American  ornithologists  Turdiu,  mrnor, 
Robin,  and  DV  some  oi  jmnroDerlv.    The  present  name  has 

?eA^tet  rSr^^^^^^^^^^  seems^o  have  been  the 

£t  anrallsronly  naturalist  who  has  taken  notice  of  the  merits  ot 

''' ThJslweet  and  solitary  songster  inhabits  the  whole  of  North  A^er- 
ica-from  Hudson's  Bay  to  the  peninsula  of  Florida.  He  arrives  in 
Pennsv™vanS  about  tlie^20th  of  April,  or  soon  after,  and  returns  to  the 
LuSout  the  beginning  of  October.  Tiie  lateness  or  earliness  of 
the  seLon  seerns  t?  make  less  difference  in  the  times  of  arrival  of  our 
Srds^  passage  than  is  generally  imagined  Early  m  April  the  woods 
ae  oftenL  considerable  forwardness,  and  scarce  a  summer  bird  to 
be  seen  On  the  other  hand,  vegetation  is  sometimes  no  further 
advanced  on  the  20th  of  April,  at  which  tinie  (e.  g.  this  present  year, 
lH07^numbors  of  Wood  Th^shes  are  seen  flitting  through  the  moist, 
woody  Sows,  and  a  variety  of  the  Motadlla  genus  chattering  from 
dmost  every  bush,  with  scLce  an  expanded  eaf  to  conceal  them. 
But  at  whatever  time  the  Wood  Thrush  may  arrive,  he  soon  announces 
Ss  presence  in  the  woods.  With  the  dawn  of  the  succeeding  morning, 
mouEg  to  tlie  top  of  some  tall  tree  that  rises  from  a  low,  thick-shaded 

hrA  voicef  and  wTll  produce  associations  which  a  forcgner  would  ass.m.late 

^■'-r£.  rnSr'vfcd^TtlS"  says  Mr.  Audubon,  "  although  con,posed  of  but 
few  noten^so  powerful,  disiinci,  clear,  and  mellow,  thai  it  .s  .mpossible  for  any 
low  no'e^'  '*'  =V  »' ;,i,„,,.  Ipin^  s.^ck  with  the  cflecl  it  produces  on  the  mind.  I 
Tnot  kni^ow  at  instrSmlntaT  sounds  I  can  comparl  these  notes  for  I  really 
know  none  so  melodious  and  harmonical.  They  gradually  rise  m  strength,  nn 
5  oTfid  <n  eentlTcadence,  becoming  at  length  so  low  as  to  be  scarceW  =.ud>ble.'' 
Sv  arc  easily  reared  from  the  nest,  and  sing  nearly  as  wefl  u»  conl(n.-mcnt  as 

^b.  L-^onapar^  in^his  A^^-^^  T^:^\^^J^ 
ifepS  JnS  Amertt°TS,^t  j^^;  decided  cha|.e..^b^^^^^^^^ 

IXh  is  not  modelled  a-'reeal.ly  to  nnv  lan-uagc,  must  be  rejected."       .    .     , .  , 

■  titlefoou    present  species,  allowing  """"P'i^'" J'^  r"T'\;^-i°„     T^fr 
there  appears  little^otibt,  will  therefore  now  stand,  \\'ood  Tlinish,  Wihon     TVr- 

/,r,ZE.  GuK-lin  ;  and  T.  melodm  will  come  m  as  f  ,''y"«''yr['«  ;/),l"'«  ^  'l 
in'sTSi  J  being  without  a  nnn.e  has  been  tnost  deservedly  dedicated  to 
,},g  „-,Pf„orv  nf  the  great  Americ  r-,  ornithjlogist  himselt.  —  t-D. 


WOOD  THRUSH. 


17 


part  of  the  woods,  he  pipes  his  few,  but  clear  and  musical  notes,  m  a 
kind  of  ecstasy  ;  the  prelude,  or  symphony  to  which,  strongly  resem- 
bles the  double -tonguing  of  a  German  flute,  and  sometimes  the  tin- 
kling of  a  small  bell ;  the  whole  song  consists  of  five  or  six  pai-ts,  the 
last  note  of  each  of  which  is  in  such  a  tone  as  to  leave  the  conclusion 
evidently  suspended ;  the  final6  is  finely  managed,  and  with  such 
charming  effect  as  to  soothe  and  tranquillize  the  mind,  and  to  seem 
sweeter  and  mellower  at  each  successive  repetition.  Rival  songsters, 
of  the  same  species,  challenge  each  otlier  from  different  parts  of  the 
wood,  seeming  to  vie  for  sofler  tones  and  more  exquisite  responses. 
During  the  burning  heat  of  the  day,  thoy  arc  comparatively  mute ;  but 
in  the  evening  tlie  same  melody  is  renewed,  and  continued  long  after 
sunset.  Those  Avho  visit  our  woods,  or  ride  out  into  the  country  at 
these  hours,  during  the  months  of  May  and  June,  will  be  at  no  loss  to 
recognize,  from  the  above  description,  this  pleasing  musician.  Even 
in  dark,  wet,  and  gloomy  weatlicr,  wlien  scarce  a  single  chirp  is  heard 
from  any  other  bird,  the  clear  notes  of  the  Wood  Tlirush  thrill  through 
the  dropping  woods,  from  morning  to  night ;  and  it  may  truly  be  said 
that  the  sadder  the  day  the  sweeter  is  his  song. 

The  favorite  haunts  of  the  Wood  Tlirush  are  low,  thick-shaded  hol- 
lows, tlirough  which  a  small  orook  or  rill  meanders,  overhung  with 
alder  bushes,  that  are  mantled  with  wild  vines.  Near  such  a  scene 
he  generally  builds  his  nest,  in  a  laurel  or  alder  bush.  Outwardly  it 
is  composed  of  withered  beech  leaves  of  tlie  preceding  year,  laid  at 
bottom  in  considerable  quantities,  no  doubt  to  prevent  damp  and 
moisture  from  ascending  through,  being  generally  built  in  low,  wet 
situations ;  above  these  are  layers  of  knotty  stalks  of  withered  grass, 
mixed  with  mud,  and  smoothly  plastered,  above  which  is  laid  a  slight 
lining  of  fine,  black,  fibrous  roots  of  plants.  The  eggs  are  four,  some- 
times five,  of  a  uniform  light  blue,  without  any  spots. 

The  Wood  Thrush  appears  always  singly  or  in  pairs,  and  is  of  a  shy, 
retired,  unobtrusive  disposition.  With  the  modesty  of  true  merit,  he 
charms  you  wiih  his  song,  but  is  content,  and  even  solicitous,  to  be 
concealed.  He  delights  to  trace  the  irregular  windings  of  the  brook, 
where,  by  the  luxuriance  of  foliage,  the  sun  is  completely  shut  out, 
or  only  plays  in  a  few  interrupted  beams  on  the  glittering  surface  of 
the  water.  He  is  also  fond  of  a  particular  species  of  lichen  which 
grows  in  such  situations,  and  which,  towards  tlie  fall,  1  have  uniformly 
found  in  their  stomachs :  berries,  liowever,  of  various  kinds,  are  liis 
principal  food,  as  well  as  beetles  and  caterpillars.  The  feathers  on 
the  hind  head  are  longer  than  is  usual  with  birds  which  have  no  crest ; 
these  he  sometimes  erects  ;  but  this  particular  cannot  be  observed  but 
on  a  close  examination.* 

Those  who  have  paid  minute  attention  to  the  singing  of  birds,  know 
well,  that  the  voice,  energy,  and  expression,  in  the  same  tribe,  differ 

"  In  ailclition  to  the  above  picture  of  the  manners  of  this  Tlirush,  Mr.  Audubon 
remarks,  that  it  performs  its  migrations  during  tlie  day,  gliding  swiftly  through  the 
woods,  without  appearing  in  the  open  country ;  that,  on  alighting  upon  a  branch,  it 
gives  its  tail  a  few  Jets,  uttering  at  each  motion  a  low,  chuckling  note,  peculiar  to 
Itself;  it  then  stands  still  for  a  while,  with  the  feathers  of  the  hin<rpart  a  little  raised. 
It  walks  and  hops  along  the  brancbjs  with  much  ease,  and  bends  down  its  head  to 
peeD  at  the  obiects  around.  —  Ed. 


iiliir! 


18 


WOOD  THRUSH. 


aa  widely  as  the  voices  of  different  individuals  of  die  human  species, 
oJ  Ts  one  Iger  does  from  another.  The  powers  of  son?,  m  some 
h^dWiduals  of  the  Wood  Thrush,  have  often  surprised  and  delighted  me. 
St- TeSreniemyer  one,  many  yea,,  ago,  whose  notes  could  in- 
stantly  recognize  on  entering  the  woods,  ^^nd  with  whom  T  had  been, 
us  it  were,  acquainted  from  his  first  arrival.  "I  he  top  ot  a  large  wiuie 
Tall  tlTat  ov3mg  part  of  the  glen  was  u.mUy  the  kvorite  pumac  e 
from  ^vhence  he  poured  the  sweetest  me bdy ;  to  which  i  "f^Z^ 
n,?I?.tlv  listened  till  night  began  to  gaUier  in  the  woods,  and  the  fire- 
rsto^parkle  aming'tlie  b'ranchel.  But,  alas!  in  the  patlietic  Ian- 
guage  of  the  poet — 

One  morn  I  missed  h'nn  on  the  accustomed  hill, 

Along  tlie  vale,  and  on  his  favorite  tree  — 

Another  came,  nor  yet  beside  the  rill, 

Nor  up  the  glen,  nor  in  the  wood  was  he. 

A  few  dovs  afterwards,  passing  along  tlie  edge  of  the  rocks,  I  found 
fraffmenS  of  the  wings  and  broken  featliers  ot"  a  Wood  Thrush  killed 
bv  the  Hawk,  which  I  contemplated  with  unfeigned  regret,  and  not 
tUout  a  detrmination  to  retaliate  on  the  first  of  these  murderers  I 

'"SaJTmrytt  seem  singular  in  my  estimation  of  this  bird,  I  shall 
subioin  an  extract  of  a  lettlr  from  a  distinguished  American  gen  le- 
man  to  whom  I  had  sent  some  drawings,  and  whose  iiame,  were  I  a 
hbertl  to  gheit,  would  do  honor  to  my  humble  performance,  and 
ender  any  fttrther  observations  on  the  subject  from  me  unnecessary 
"Ts  you  are  curious  in  birds,  tPiere  is  one  well  wortliy  your  a^ten- 
tion  to  be  found,or  rather  heard,  in  every  part  of  America,  and  yet 
scarcely  ever  to  be  seen.    It  is  in  all  the  forests  from  spring  to  fall, 
and  never  but  on  tlie  tops  of  Uie  tallest  trees,  from  which  it  perpet- 
r,n  Iv   erenades  us  with  some  of  the  sweetest  notes,  and  as  clear  as 
Ss^of  the  N  Xingale.    I  have  followed  it  for  miles  without  ever 
Sit  once  eetting  a  good  view  of  it    It  is  of  the  size  and  make  of  the 
MocS  BiTfightly  thrush-colored  on  the  back,  and  a  grayish  white 

u    vf      f  o^lhplW     Ml mv  son-  n-law,  was  in  possession 

o?  iXmltd'Sn  sS'by  a  neSor ;  he  pronounced^t  .Jifu.- 
cLZ'and  I  think  it  much  resembles  %e  Mouche  rollede  la  MaHimqite, 
sZffoTmPl.  erdum.  568.  As  it  abotinds  in  all  the  neighborhood 
of  P  Selph  a,  you  may,  perhaps,  by  patience  and  perseverance,  fo 
which  much  will  be  requisite,)  get  a  sight,  if  not  a  possession,  ot  it 
tvo  for  twenty  years,  interested  the  young  sportsmen  of  my  neigh- 
borhood to  shoot  me  one,  but,  as  yet,  ^vitliout  success 

Tt  m-iv  seem  strange  that  neither  Sloane,*  Catesbv,  l^dwards,  nor 
J3t  ffu  aVof  whom  are  said  to  have  described  this  tird,  should  say 
u^^  V  ling  of  itB  melody ;  or  rather,  assert  that  it  had  only  a  siugle.cry 
orlcreuS  This  I  cannot  account  for  in  any  other  way  than  by  sup- 
poSig,  what  I  think  highly  probable,  that  this  bird  has  never  been 
i.riired  or  described  by  any  of  the  above  authors.  „     ^     , 

^'Catesbv  has,  indeed,  represented  a  bird,  which  he  calls  Mus 
mrnStbuJ  it  is  difficult  to  discover,  either  from  the  figure  or  de- 


»  Hiit.  Jam.  ii.  •'«!5. 


+  Catksbx's  ^'eU.  Ilisl.  Car.  i.  31 


i        / 


WOOD  THRUSH. 


19 


acription,  what  particular  species  is  meant ;  or  whether  it  bo  really 
intended  for  the  Wood  Thrush  we  are  now  describing.  It  resembles, 
he  says,  the  English  Thrush ;  but  is  less,  never  sings,  hiiB  only  a  single 
note,  and  abides  all  the  year  in  Carolina.  It  must  be  confessed  tliat, 
except  tlie  first  circumstance,  tliere  are  few  features  of  tlie  Wood 
Thrush  in  tliis  description.  I  have  searched  the  woods  of  Carolina 
and  Georgia,  in  winter,  for  this  bird  in  vain,  nor  do  I  believe  it  ever 
winters  in  tliese  states.  If  Mr.  Catesby  found  his  bird  mute  during 
spring  and  summer,  it  was  not  the  Wood  Thrush,  otherwise  he  must 
have  changed  his  very  nature.  But  Mr.  Edwards  has  also  described 
and  delineated  the  little  Thrush,*  and  has  referred  to  Catesby  as  having 
drawn  and  engraved  it  before.  Now,  this  Thrush  of  Edwards  I  know 
to  be  really  a  different  species ;  one  not  resident  in  Pennsylvania,  but 
passing  to  the  north  in  May,  and  returning  the  same  way  in  October, 
and  may  be  distinguished  from  the  true  Song  Thrush  (Turdwa  melodus) 
by  the  spots  being  much  broader,  brown,  and  not  descending  below 
the  breast  It  is  also  an  inch  shorter,  with  tiie  cheeks  of  a  bright 
tawny  color.  Mr.  William  Bartram,  who  transmitted  tliis  bird,  more 
than  fifty  years  ago,  to  Mr.  Edwards,  by  whom  it  was  drawn  and  en- 
graved, examined  the  two  species  in  my  presence ;  and  on  comparing 
them  with  the  one  in  Edwards,  was  satisfied  that  the  bird  tliere  fig- 
ured and  described  is  not  the  Wood  Thrash, jTurdus  melodus,)  but  the 
tawny-cheeked  species  above  mentioned.  This  I  have  never  seen  in 
Pennsylvania  but  in  spring  and  fall.  It  is  still  more  solitary  than  the 
fonner,  and  utters,  at  rare  times,  a  single  cry,  similar  to  that  of  a 
chicken  which  has  lost  its  mother.  This  very  bird  I  found  numerous 
in  tlie  myrtle  swamps  of  Carolina  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and  I  have 
not  a  doubt  of  its  being  tlxe  same  which  is  described  by  Edwards  and 
Catesby. 

As  the  Count  de  Buifon  has  drawn  his  description  from  those  above 
mentioned,  the  same  observations  apply  equally  to  what  he  has  said 
on  the  subject ;  and  the  fanciful  tlieory  which  this  writer  had  formed 
to  account  for  its  want  of  song,  vanishes  into  empty  air ;  viz.  that  the 
Song  Thrush  of  Europe  [Turdus  musicus)  had,  at  some  time  after  the 
creation,  rambled  round  by  the  Northern  Ocean,  and  made  its  way  to 
America ;  that,  advancing  to  the  south,  it  had  there  (of  consequence) 
become  degenerated  by  change  of  food  and  climate,  so  that  its  cry  is 
noAr  harsh  and  unpleasant,  "  as  are  tlie  cries  of  all  birds  that  live  in 
wild  countries  inhabited  by  savages."  f 

*  Edwards,  296. 

t  BuKFON,  vol.  iii.  289.  The  figure  in  PL  enl.  398  has  liule  or  no  resemblance 
to  the  Wood  Thrush,  being  of  a  deep  green  olive  above,  and  spoUed  to  the  tail  below 
with  long  streaks  of  brown. 


20 


ROBIN. 


BOBIN.-TUBDUS  MIGRATORIUS.— Fio.  5. 

/,•««  S,f  i  D  292  6. -Tardus  Canadensis,  5m*.  ii.P;  225,  9.- La  LUornede 

^>  «  P  26!-^«rtram,  p.  ^m.- Peak's  Museum,  No.  6278. 
TURDUS  MIGRATORIUS.* -Li^f'Vt 

Tardus  migratorius,  Bonap.  Synop,  p.  75  -Merula  mignUoria. 
Morth.  Zool.  11.  p.  177. 

This  well-known  bird,  being  familiar  to  almost  every  body,  will  re- 
ouJeburashor?  description.  ^It  measures  nine  inches  and  a  half  in 
ilT^i ;  the  Sis  strong,  an  inch  long,  and  of  a  full  yellow,  though 

i^rSe  rSSliof  a;::;^^ - IhHr  t  S^^lrd^;  The  first,  i.W 
oountnes  even  ^vhere  tne  ilimme     ocs  i  (p„ane„  jg  sought  for  upon  the 

strains  of  more  interest     ^^^'^Pf'^'%f^^'[^  ™^,;  ^v  "re  universal  favorites  ; 


ROBIN. 


31 


aometiraes  black,  or  dusky  near  the  tip  of  the  upper  mandible ;  the  head, 
back  of  the  neck,  and  tail,  ia  black ;  the  back  and  rump,  an  ash  color ; 
tlie  wings  are  black,  edged  with  light  ash ;  the  inner  tips  of  tlie  two 
exterior  tail-feathers,  are  white ;  three  small  spots  of  white  border  the 
eye ;  the  tliroat  and  upper  part  of  tlie  breast  is  black,  the  former 
streaked  witli  white ;  the  whole  of  tlie  rest  of  the  breast,  down  us  far 
ns  the  thighs,  is  of  a  dark  orange ;  belly  and  vent,  white,  slightly 
waved  witli  dusky  ash ;  legs,  dark  brown ;  claws,  black  and  strong. 
The  colors  of  the  female  are  more  of  the  light  ash,  less  deepened 
Avith  black ;  and  tlie  orange  on  the  breast  is  much  paler,  and  more 
broadly  skirted  with  white.  The  name  of  this  bird  bespeaks  him  a 
bird  of  passage,  as  are  all  the  different  spec-es  of  Thrushes  we  have ; 
but  tlio  one  we  are  now  describing,  being  more  unsettled,  and  contin- 
ually roving  about  from  one  region  to  another,  during  fall  and  winter, 
seems  particularly  entitled  to  tlie  appellation.  Scarce  a  winter  passes 
but  innumerable  thousands  of  them  are  seen  in  the  lower  parts  of  tlie 
whole  Atlantic  states,  from  New  Hampshire  to  Carolina,  particularly 
in  tlie  neighborhood  of  our  towns ;  and,  from  the  circiunstance  of 
tlieir  leaving,  during  that  season,  the  country  to  the  north-west  of  the 
great  range  of  the  Alleghany,  from  Maryland  northward,  it  would  ap- 
pear  that  they  not  only  migrate  from  north  to  south,  but  from  west  to 
east,  to  avoid  the  deep  snows  that  generally  prevail  on  these  high 
regions  for  at  least  four  months  in  the  year. 

The  Robin  builds  a  large  nest,  often  on  an  apple-tree,  plasters  it  in 
the  inside  with  mud,  and  lines  it  with  hay  or  fine  grass.  The  female 
lays  five  eggs,  of  a  beautiful  sea-green.  Their  principal  food  is  ber- 
ries, worms,  and  caterpillars.  Of  the  first  he  prefers  those  of  the  sour 
gum,  UVyssa  sylvatica.)  So  fond  are  tliey  of  gum-berries,  that,  wher- 
ever tliere  is  one  of  these  trees  covered  with  fruit,  and  flocks  of  Rob- 
ins in  the  neighborhood,  the  sportsman  need  only  take  his  stand 
near  it,  load,  take  aim,  and  fire ;  one  flock  succeeding  another,  with 
•little  interruption,  almost  the  whole  day :  by  this  method,  prodigioas 

table;  in  Spain  and  Italy,  great  numbers  are  taken  for  the  same  purpose, with  nets 
and  various  kinds  of  snares.  With  the  severity  of  tlic  season,  however,  and  the  dif- 
ference of  food,  the  flesh  acquires  a  bitter  flavor,  which  renders  lliem  unfit  for  culi- 
nary' purposes,  and  aflbrds  a  temporary  respite  from  their  merciless  persecutions. 

The  title  Mcrula,  which  Mr.  Swainson  and  several  of  our  modern  ornitholoffists 
have  adopted,  was  used  by  Ray  only  as  a  sub-genus  among  his  "  Turdinnm  genus," 
and  contained  that  division  to  which  the  Blackbird  and  Ringousel  would  belong : 
'Ptirdus  being  confined  to  those  with  spotted  breasts.  I  do  not  consider  the  very 
trifling  diflerence  in  form  between  the  plain  and  spotted  species  to  be  of  sufficient 
importance,  and  prefer  retaining  the  generic  name  of  Tardus,  as  one  well  knovwi 
and  long  accepted. 

Robin  seems  to  be  applied  in  America  generally  to  several  of  the  Thrushes  ;  some 
expletive  going  before  to  designate  the  species  by  its  habits,  as  "  Wood  Robin," 
"Swamp  Robin,"  "Ground  Robin,"  &c.  Our  present  species  is  the  Robin  ;  and, 
as  the  preceding  was  a  favorite  on  account  of  its  song,  this  is  no  less  so  from  the 
unassuming  and  dependent  familiarity  of  its  manners:  it  was  most  probably  this 
Joined  with  the  color  of  the  breast,  which  first  suggested  the  name  of  our  own 
homely  bird  to  the  earlier  British  settlers,  and  along  with  it  part  of  the  respect  with 
which  its  namesake  is  treated  in  this  country. 

An  African  species,  Turdus  olioaceus,  (te  Griveron,  Vieill.)  is  nearly  allied  in  the 
distribution  of  the  markings.  I  have  tu  .Uhcr,  1  believe,  from  South  America,  which 
approaches  both  nearly.  —  Ed. 


n 


Il 

!1  I 


23  ROBIN. 

slaujrhter  has  been  made  among  them  witii  little  fatigue.    When  ber- 
ries fail,  they  disperse  thomselves  over  the  fields,  and  along  the  fences, 
in  search  of  worms  and  other  insects.     Sometimes  they  will  disappear 
for  a  week  or  two,  and  return  again  in  greater  numbers  than  before ; 
at  which  time  the  cities  pour  out  their  sportsmen  by  scores,  and  the 
markets  arc  plontifuUy  supplied  with  them  at  a  cheap  rate.     In  Janu- 
iirv,  lrf07,  two  young  men,  in  one  excursion  after  them,  shot  thirty 
dozen.     In  the  midst  of  such  devastation,  which  continued  many 
weeks,  and,  by  accounts,  extended  from  Massachusetts  to  Maryland, 
Koine  humane  person  took  advantage  of  a  circumstance  common  to 
these  birds  in  winter,  to  stop  the  general  slaughter.    The  fruit  called 
pokc-borries  (Phytolacca  decandra,  Linn.)  is  a  favorite  repast  with  the 
Robin,  uf>.er  tliey  are  mellowed  by  the  frost    The  juice  of  the  berries 
is  of  a  beautiful  crimson,  and  they  are  eaten  in  such  quantities  by 
these  birds,  that  their  whole  stomachs  are  strongly  tinged  with  tlie 
same  red  color.     A  paragraph  appeared  in  the  public  papers,  intima- 
ting, that,  from  tlie  great  tiuantities  of  these  berries  which  the  Robins 
had  fed  on,  tliey  had  become  unwholesome,  and  even  dan^rous  food ; 
and  that  several  persons  had  suffered  by  eating  of  them.    The  strange 
appearance  of  tlie  bowels  of  the  birds  seemed  to  corroborate  this  ac- 
count    The  demand  for,  and  use  of  them,  ceased  almost  instantly; 
and  motives  of  self-preservation  produced  at  once  what  all  the  plead- 
inrrs  of  humanity  could  not  effect*     When  fat,  they  are  in  consider- 
able esteem  for  "the  table,  and  probably  not  inferior  to  the  lurdi  of 
the  ancients,  which  they  bestowed  so  much  pains  on  in  feeding  and 
fattening.    The  young  birds  are  frequently  and  easily  raised,  bear  the 
confinement  of  the  cage,  feed  on  bread,  fruits,  &c.,  sing  well,  readily 
learn  to  imitate  parts  of  tunes,  and  are  very  pleasant  and  cheerful 
domestics.    In  these  I  have  always  observed  that  the  orange  on  the 
breast  is  of  a  much  deeper  tint,  often  a  dark  mahogany  or  chestnut 
color,  owing,  no  doubt,  to  their  food  and  confinement 

The  Robin  is  one  of  our  earliest  songsters  ;  even  in  March,  while 
snow  yet  dapples  the  fields,  and  flocks  of  them  are  dispersed  abou*^ 
some  few  will  mount  a  post  or  stake  of  the  fence,  and  make  short  and 
frequent  attempts  at  their  song.f     Karly  in  April,  they  are  only  to  be 

»  Governor  Drayton,  in  his  Vmo  of  South  Carolina,  p.  8G,  observes,  that  "  the 
Robins  in  winter  devour  the  berries  of  the  head-iroo  [Melia  azedarach)  in  such  Inr™ 
quantities,  that,  after  eating:  of  them,  they  arc  observcil  to  fall  down,  and  are  rcn.iily 
taken  This  is  ascribed  more  to  distention  frc  m  abniulnnt  ealmjr,  than  from  .iiy 
deleterious  qualities  of  the  plant."  The  Cnri  howc.ver,  is,  that  they  are  hlrrnlly 
choked,  many  of  the  berries  bcinjr  too  larfrc  U.  -c  swallowed. 

t  "  The  male  is  one  of  the  loudest  and  most  assiduous  of  the  songsters  that  Ire- 
nuent  the  fur  countries,  bearinninff  his  chant  immediately  on  his  arrival.  \V  ilhin 
Ihc  arctic  circle,  the  woods'are  .silent  in  the  brisilil  li^ht  of  noon-day ;  but  towards 
midniffhi,  when  the  s<m  travels  near  the  horizon,  and  the  shades  of  the  lorest  arc 
lenKlhened,  the  concert  commences,  and  continues  till  si.x  or  seven  in  thcmorninff. 
Thus  speaks  Dr.  Richardson,  in  the  Northon,  Zoolo,<ry,  regarding?  the  song  of  this 
bird  :  and  he  further  adds,  regarding  the  breeding  and  geographical  range,  —  Its 
nests  were  observed,  by  the  last  Northern  expedition,  conducted  by  Captain  hir  J. 
Franklin,  as  high  as  the  67th  parallel  of  latitude.  It  arrives  on  the  Missoun,  in  lat. 
41  A°,  from  the  eastward,  on  the  11th  of  April ;  and,  in  the  course  of  its  northerly 
movement,  reaches  Severn  River,  in  Hudson's  ttay,  about  a  fortnight  later.  Ita 
fir=t  nnnearance  at  Carlton  House,  in  the  year  1827,  m  lat.  53°,  was  on  the  22d 
AprilV  'in  the  same  season,  it  reached  Fort  Chippcwyan,  m  lat.  o5|",  on  ue  vm 


t  m. 


ROBIN. 


23 


Been  in  pairs,  and  deliver  their  notes  witli  groat  earnestness,  from  the 
top  of  some  tree  detached  from  the  woods.  This  song  hiis  some  re- 
semblance to,  and  indeed  is  no  bad  imitation  of,  tht)  notes  of  the 
Thrush  or  Thrasher,  ( Turdtis  rufus ;)  but,  if  deficient  in  point  of  execu- 
tion, ho  possesses  more  simplicity,  and  makes  up  in  zeal  what  ho  wants 
in  talent;  so  tlint  the  notes  of  the  Robin,  in  spring,  are  univerniillj' 
known,  and  da  universally  beloved.  They  are,  as  it  Avcre,  the  prohulu 
to  the  grand  general  concert  tliat  is  about  to  burst  upon  us  I'roni 
woods,  lields,  and  thickets,  whitened  with  blossoms,  and  breathing 
fragrance.  By  the  usual  association  of  ideas,  we,  therefore,  listen 
with  more  pleasure  to  this  cheerful  bird,  than  to  many  otliers  possessed 
of  far  superior  powers,  and  much  greater  variety.  Even  his  nest  is 
held  more  sacred  among  schoolboys  tlian  that  of  some  otliers ;  and, 
while  they  will  exult  in  plundering  a  Jay's  or  a  Cat  Bird's,  a  general 
sentiment  of  respect  prevails  on  the  discovery  of  a  Robin's.  Whether 
he  owes  not  some  little  of  this  veneration  to  the  well-known  and  long- 
established  character  of  his  namesake  in  Britain,  by  a  like  association 
of  ideas,  I  will  not  pretend  to  determine.  He  possesses  a  good  deal 
of  his  suavity  of  manners ;  and  almost  always  seeks  shelter  for  his 
young  in  summer,  and  subsistence  for  himself  in  the  extremes  of 
winter,  near  the  habitations  of  man. 

The  Robin  inhabits  the  whole  of  North  America,  from  Hudson's 
Bay  to  Nootka  Sound,  and  as  far  south  as  Georgia,  though  they  rarely 
breed  on  this  side  the  mountains  farther  soutii  than  Virginia.  Mr. 
Forster  says,  that  about  the  beginning  of  May  they  make  their  ap- 
pearance in  pairs  at  the  scnlements  of  Hudson's  Bay,  at  Severn 
River;  and  adds  a  circumstance  altogether  unworthy  of  belief,  viz. 
that,  at  Moose  Fort,  they  build,  lay,  and  hatch,  in  fourteen  days !  but 
that  at  the  former  place,  four  degrees  more  north,  they  are  said  to  take 
twenty-six  days.*  They  are  also  common  in  Newfoundland,  quitting 
tliese  northern  parts  in  October.  The  young,  during  the  first  season, 
are  spotted  with  white  on  the  breast,  and  at  that  time  have  a  good 
deal  of  resemblance  to  the  Fieldfare  of  Europe. 

Mr.  Heame  informs  us,  that  the  red-breasted  Thrusjhes  are  commonly 
called,  at  Hudson's  Bay,  the  Red-Birds  —  by  some,  the  Blackbirds,  on 


;i   ' 


of  May;  and  Fort  Franklin,  in  lal.  03°,  on  the  20lli  of  that  month.  Those  that 
build  their  nests  in  the  64ih  parallel  of  latitiule,  begin  to  hatch  in  the  end  of  May  ; 
but  1 1°  farther  to  the  north,  that  event  is  deferred  till  the  1 1th  of  June.  The  snow, 
oven  then,  partially  covers  the  ground;  but  there  arc,  in  those  high  latitudes, 
abundance  of  the  berries  of  Vacciiiinm  uUzinosim  and  Vitis  idea,  Arhitus  alpina, 
Empetrum  nio-rum,  and  of  some  other  plants,  which,  after  having  been  frozen  up 
all  winter,  are  exposed  to  the  first  melting  of  the  snows,  full  of  juice,  and  m  high 
flavor:  shortly  after,  the  parents  obtain  abundanceof  grubs  for  their  callow  young." 

We  thus  see  the  extreme  regularity  with  which  the  migrations  are  perlbrmcd, 
and  cannot  too  much  admire  the  power  which  enables  them  to  perceive,  and  cal- 
culate so  exactly,  the  time  required  for  their  journey  to  the  climates  best  suited  to 
their  duties  at  that  season.  We  also  sec  another  wonderful  provision,  both  for  the 
migratory  species  and  those  which  subsist  as  they  best  can  during  the  winter,  in 
the  preservation  of  the  berries  and  fruits  fresh  and  juicy  under  the  snow.  Were  it 
not  for  this,  the  ground,  on  the  melting  of  its  covering,  would  present  a  more  des- 
olate appearance  than  in  the  oxtremest  storms  of  winter,  and  all  animal  li''*  would 
inevitably  perish,  for  want  ol'aod.befj-J  the  various  and  abundant  plants  could 
flower  and  perfect  their  fruit»    —  Ed. 

*  Phu.  Trans,  ixii.  399. 


itiiil'i 


M 


WHITE- 3UEASTEI).  HLACK-CAVIM.D  NUTHATCH. 


account  of  their  i.ote  — and  by  others,  the  American  Fieldfares;  that 
Uieymakc  their  appeamnco  ut  Churchill  River  about  U.o  imddlo  of 
May,  and  migrate  to  Uie  aouth  early  in  U.e  fall.  They  are-  seldom 
seen  Uioro  but  in  pairs;  and  are  never  killed  for  tJieir  flesh,  except  by 

'sovera"  authors  have  asserted,  that  the  red-breasted  Tiirush  cannot 
brook  the  conhnement  of  the  cage,  and  never  Bings  in  tliat  state. 
But,  except  tlie  Mockin|r  Bird,  (Turdus  polyglotus,)  I  know  ot  no 
native  bird  whicli  is  so  frequently  domesticated,  agrees  better  witii 
confinement,  or  sinj^*  in  that  state  more  agi-eeably  than  the  Robin. 
Thev  generally  suffer  severely  in  moultmg  tune,  yet  otleji  live  to  a 
considerable  aVe.  A  lady,  who  resides  near  Tairvtown,  on  the  banks 
of  the  Hudson,  informed  ine,  that  she  raised  and  kept  one  ot  theso 
birds  for  seventeen  years ;  which  sung  as  well,  and  looked  ns  spright- 
ly, at  tliat  age  as  ever;  but  was  at  last  unlortunately  destroyed  by  a 
cat.  The  morning  is  their  favorite  time  for  song.  In  passing  tlirouglj 
the  streets  of  our  large  cities,  on  Sunday,  in  the  months  ot  April  and 
May,  a  little  atler  daybreak,  Uie  general  silence  which  usually  prevai.i 
wiiut  at  that  hour,  will  enable  you  to  ^li«t'"^'"lf'  «^^;:|'  j'"!:?.'; 
where  one  of  these  songsters  resides,  as  he  makes  it  then  ring  v  lU) 

NToniy  tlie  plumage  ol"  the  Robin,  as  of  many  other  birds  is  sub- 
iect  to  slight  periodical  changes  of  color,  but  even  tlie  legs,  tcet,  and 
bill;  tlie  latter,  in  tlie  u.ale,  being  frequently  tound  tipped  and  ridged 
for  half  itfl  lenkh  with  black.  In  Uie  deptli  ot  winter,  tlieir  plumage  is 
generally  best;  at  which  time  the  full-grown  bird,  in  his  most  perfect 
dress,  appears  as  exhibited  in  Fig.  5. 


WHITE-BREASTED,   BLACK-CAPPED   NUTHATCH. - 
SITTA  CAROLINENSIS.  —  Fio.  G. 

Catesb  i  22  fiff  2.- Lath.  i.  G50,  B.-Briss.  iii.  n.  596,  4  -SiUa  Carolinensis 
So«.-:::SiUa  Europca,  Gray'  Black-capped  ^ulhalch,  Barlram,  p.  289— 
Feale's  Museum,  No.  20,  3C. 

SITTA    CAROLLXEJfSIS.\ 

Sitta  Carolinensis,  Bonap.  Synop.  96.-SiUa  melanocephala,  Vieill.  Gal.  dcs  Ois. 

p.  280,  pi.  IT*. 

The  bill  of  this  bird  is  black,  the  upper  mandible  straight,  the 
lower  one  rounded  upwards  towards  the  point,  and  white  near  the 
base;  the  nostrils  are  covered  with  long,  curving,  b-Eck  hau^;  the 

•  Journey  to  the  Northern  Ocean,  p.  418,  quarto.    Lond.  1796.  . 

♦  The  true  Nuthatches,  SittcB,  (for  I  would  not  adimi  S.vchtta  of  Hp^field,  and 
some  allied  spec  es,  nor  he  S.  ciLsoptera  from  New  Holland,)  are  all  ...a  wcs  of 
ESoMandlouth  America.  With  this  resiriclion  of  geographical  distribution,  the 
«^Kn  con?^n  onW  four  species,  three  of  which,  S.  Varolinensu,  Canadensis 
SS'jJSP^d  "a^d  descrTbed  by  our  author,  are  co„finedJ^o^Non^ 

and  U»  fouiUi,  if.  Jiiuropea,  has  been  only  fuuna  .n  tur.-pe.     ..  -i--  --o- 


m 


'^■■''''■'~'*^''"Ay<<M.ihy'/r 


J^mpC^r^Sf.lil^r-. 


THE  BLUE  ARA 


I 


WHITt^-HRhASTED.   BLACK-CAPPED  NUTHATCH.  26 

tongue  ia  of  a  homy  aubstunco,  and  onJiny  in  Huveral  aharp  pointe 
the  genoral  rnlor  .ibove  is  of  a  li^rl.t  blue  or  load;  tlie  tail  ciMwiatu 
of  twelve  tealiierH.  the  two  middl.i  ones  lead  oolor,  the  next  three  are 
black,  tipped  with  whito  for  one  tenth,  one  fourth,  and  half  of  an  inch; 
Uie  two  next  aiu  also  black,  tipped  half  an  inch  or  more  witl.  wlute 
w  nch  runs  nearly  an  inch  up  their  exterior  odfros,  and  both  have  the 
white  a  tlie  t.p.s  touched  with  black  ;  the  logs  are  of  a  purple  or  dirty 
flesh  color;  the  hind  claw  is  much  Uie  larpreHt;  the  inside  of  the  wiii^ 
at  Uie  bend  ,s  black;  below  this  is  a  wfiite  spot  sprendinff  over  the 
roote  ot  the  hrst  five  pninanes;  Uio  whole  length  is  five  ina.os  and  a 
halt ;  extent,  eleven. 

Mr.  Pennant  co„HiderH  tliis  bird  as  a  mere  vari.,.ty  of  the  European 
Nuthatch;  but  if  diHorence  in  size,  color,  and  habits,  be  sufficient 
characteristics  of  a  distinct  species,  this  bird  is  certainly  entitled  to  bo 
considered  as  such.  The  head  and  back  of  the  European  species  is  of 
a  uniform  bluish  gray ;  the  upper  parts  of  the  head,  neck,  and  shoulden. 
of  ours,  are  a  deep  black,  glossed  with  green;  the  breast  and  belly  of 
the  former  is  a  dull  orange,  with  streaks  of  chestnut;  tfiose  parti  in 

Anubales,  Uendrocolaptes,  and  not  far  distu.U  fro...  the  Tilmicc  ;  will,  iho  for'n^r' 
^Z  with'.  ,".  W '"'l^  c.o....,,.clc.l,  a..cl  ihuro  appear,  little  i..  tl.uir  s.n.c.uro  in  con  ' 
moi.  with  tl.o  Woodpeckers,  cxccj.t  the  act  ol  r....ni,.ff  up  the  tru..ks  of  trees         . 
ha..t  andgccrai  ce,...o.ny  they  rosoible  ll.o  Tilmire,  'always  actively  emplovc 
in  lur..,ng  or  tw..st.«g  round  the  brnnche.,  or  in  ru...,inff 'up  or^dow,  .he  ir .  .ks\b 
Jey  do  Roth  w.,1.  equal  facility,  searehi..g  alter  the  b.^ect^,  or  their  cgg^  a  dlur'vt 
whch  he  concealed  uuder  the  moss,  or  loose  bark;  but  occasionX  also    Hke 
then,  feed...g  upo..  (l.tTercit  grains,  «.,  the  seeds  of  tl  o  nine  co..es  ai  n..i?i'lnn«.i 

tagy,  l.ke  the  «  Europea,  Ire.iuentii.g  the  orchards  during  the  cider  season    an 

Uiey  W.1  tlmve  well  upon  raw  .neat,  or  fat,  a..d  tl*  taken  at  a  proper  age  become 
extremely  fam.har  anc/amus.ng;  if  not,  they  will  most  likely  destroy  iSelvcsi; 
^e.r  e..deavors  to  get  free  fro...  co,.f„.emcnt,  as  mentioned  ty  tl.c  a^no  yZs  wri 
Lh  "J" '"'"'=*"»&  '^'■'^°"."'  "':'h'=*  bir.1  i.,  Loudon's  Magazine  ofNaSmiTrv 
I  had  lately  an  opportun.ty  of  observing  a  nest  of  our  native  Species  which  S 
been  taken  yo„.,g.    'I'l.ey  became  remarkably  tame;  and/when  released  fom 
he.r  cage,  woul.  run  oyer  their  ow..cr  i..  all  dircctio..s,  up  or  down  h  s  bodv  and 
Lnt/f:"^  they  b.  Is  M.to  seams  or  holes,  as  if  in  search^,f  .bod  uion   onfe  ol 
and  rent  tree,  and  utter.ng,  dur.ng  the  time,  a  low  and  plaintive  cry     When  ru  . 
m.^  up  or  down,  thev  rest  upon  li.e  back  part  of  the  whole  tarsusrand  makeVrea; 

Th^ir  1  n   '"P''°"'  °'  """'"""y  •>«  'allc'l  'he  real  heel,  and  never  0^^^ 

I  heir  bills  are  comparatively  strong,  and  the  power  tliev  Dossps^nfiwm!,.^ 

great  equal  apparently  ,0  th^t  of  a  fvoodpecke?of  HkS    Ttey  brred^i„'tT 

low  trees,  and  produce  a  rather  numerous  brood.    The  male  atto.dscarefuHv" 

dar...g  he  t.me.    Acconl.ng  ,0  Montagu,  our  British  species  chooses  the  deseS 

lab.tat.on  of  some  Woodpecker.    "  The  hole  is  first  contracted  by  a  plaster  of  cav 

eav.ng  only  suffic.eni  room  for  itself  to  pass  out  and  in  ;  the  nest  is  made  of  Tli 

eaves  chiefly  those  of  ,he  oak,  which  are  heaped  together  whho ut  much  oJde 

If  the  barrier  of  plaster  at  the  entrance  is  de.stToyed''when  d^cy     avreg^rit  U 

r  W^^i'P'l'"'''-/  Pr"'r,"'«'""^' '°  prevent\heir  nest  bcW    lestZcd  by 

^JT,  as  Mr.  Kenn.e,  in  h.s  late  ed.tion  of  the  sa.ne  work,  thinks  probable  the  wall 

may  be  to  prevent  the  unfledged  young  from  tumblinir  out  of  lI.eTft  whn ,    h^l 

begm  to  stir  about.    It  is  prol?able^hat"the  Nuthatch  cfoe°  not  look  forwanl  to  "an^ 

£coTsenTnceT,"'M'"''  ''"^""gh  d^e  circcts  above  mentioned  may  be  „  reality 

the  consequence,  I  should  conce.ve  the  hole  contracted  as  being  really  too  larae 

aJid  as  .ncreasmg  the  heat  and  apparent  comfort  within.    Whe.i  roosl^?.ff   llfev 

•leep  with  the  head  and  back  downwards,  in  die  m.-mncr  of  several  Titmieel^lE^f 

o 


86       vvHiTE.r.Rr..vsTnn,  ^lack-capped  nuthatch. 

I  >„     TliP  FuroDcan  has  a  line  of  black  pafising 
the  latter  are  pure  ^^•  ate.     rhc  European  ^^^^^^  species  has 

through  the  eye  Imlf  way  do.^^^  innc^vebs  of  tl.e  tl.ree 

nothing  of  tlie  kind,  ^ut  J  eai^      ™^  ^^^^^    the  latter  tipped 

shortest  secondaries  and  ^«  P^J'J^^  1}  ^,^  tliighs  of  a  rust  co  or : 

^£^^£^,^^^-^  -"^^""^  "^  '^"'"" 

-^SS  Sri  ne.  e^i^^S  -  t£li^^^^^ 
LoUow  rail  m  the  ience,  ^n Uoni«tiines  ^^.^^^  ^^^^^ 

the  eaves ;  and  l^yf.  J;«  ^^f^^V^^S  attentive  to  the  female  whi  e 
U,e  greater  end.  1  he  "'^  «  '^  j*^  J^  sustenance,  stopping  Irequently 
sitting;  supplying  her  '^<^S"*"f;7„,,,,'  fferint^  her  wliat  he  has  brouglit, 
at  the' mouth  of  the  hole,callin|   ^nd  oh^rin  ^^         ^        j 

in  the  most  endearing  ™'^™"„'vXtSiX  t'^dious  moments  witli  his 
to  inquire  how  she  is,  and  to  J^en  the  te  ^^^  ^^^^^^ 

soothing  chatter.  He  bo  dom  rambles  tar^^^^^^^  ^.P^  .^^^^^^  ^^ 
danger  appears,  regardless  "^^jf^'^^^^jfe  trunk  of  Uie  same  tree,  or 
alarSi  her.    When  both  are  fcedi^^^^  ,^„.  „„],  from  the 

iS^yl^^hr^kSri^tpLnthatlie  l^els  pleased  to  hear 

•^^S^fee-breasted  Nuthatch  is conunon^^^^^^^^^^^  ^ 

woods  of  North  America,  '^"^'"f^^^f.j^",^  he  moves,  upward  and 
notes,  qiutnk,  quank,  ^'^'^^1"'^"^]^  [^Sv  and  larger  branches  of  the 
down,  in  spiral  f>>--;«,^'/5"^^^^^^^  oak,  and  shelling 

tree,  probing  behind  the  th  n  ^caly  "arK  insects,  anl 

off  considerable  pieces  «  f '  J^^f  ^^  /'  f^^  head  dmvnwards,  and  ap- 
their  larvae.  He  rcste  and  ™?f^  ^J^VtVnot  common  to  many  birds; 
pears  to  possess  a  degree  «!, '^"""'^Ythin  a  few  feet  of  the  root  of 
Lquentl/ descending,  ^;:;;^.^^a'stopp  g>^d  downward,  stretch- 
the  tree  where  you  h»Plf "  f°  ,^;;f ''iSin  as  if  to  reconnoitre  your 
ingout  his  nock  ^'J   eTrH  uESfoTsit 

appearance;  and,  after  several  ii  j  ^        j  ;„„  his  unisons  as  be- 

roiW,  he  again  inounts,wth  fresh  actm  f^     ^^^^^^  ^.^^^j^^^ 

fore.  Strongly  attached  to  1"^  "^^^^^.^J^^'t  wintor  weatlier,  his  note 
them ;  and,  amidst  the  rigors  «(  *«  f'  ^JJ  J  ^^q  ^mong  the  howling 
is  still  heard  in  the  ^^ak  and  leafles^  vood^,  a  J^^^^^^  ^^^^^ 

.     branches      ^^^^^^^'Ji'^JZl^e^^ 

twig,andeven  the  trunk  ottne^^^      ,  ^^^^^^^  his  anxiety  and 

shell  of  ico.    On  these  «^'^^J^  ?"'  [j^J     ^.hle  to  make  his  way  along 

;to,vVrehem«pick«pa.»ta.ten^^^^^  f^Uy  of  bird,, 

The  nonie  NuUiatch    ™  'f "  akiiTmts  by  ropeaWdUchinss, 

SaS;S5«i*cs'  "Stew  -^  -•"  - '"— ■ 

bv  Vwillol  as  Sa<«  mdanoetphata.  —  EO- 


Hi! 


RErX.BE.LlRD.  ni.ACK-CAPPED  NUTHATCH.  27 

chinkopins,  and  hazel-nuts,  they  may,  probably,  be  able  to  demolish, 
though  I  have  never  yet  seen  tliem  so  engaged  but  it  must  be  raE 
m  search  of  maggots  tliat  sometimes  breed^there,  than  for  the  kS?eT 
It  IS,  however,  said,  that  tliey  lay  up  a  large  store  of  nute  for  wiX  • 
but,  as  I  have  never  either  found^ny  of  tJ.eir  ma^zines,  ^r  seen' 
them  collecting  them,  I  am  inclined  to  doubt  the  Set  From  the 
great  numbers!  have  opened  at  all  seasons  of  the  yearri  have  ^ei? 
reason  to  bohevo  that  ants,  bugs,  small  seeds,  insecte,  and  E  lSv2^ 
form  their  chief  subsistence,  such  matters  alone  beinc;  uniformlv  S 
n  tlieir  stomachs.  Neither  can  I  see  what  necessity"  they  could  have 
to  circumambulate  the  trunks  of  trees  with  such  indefLSle  and 

Sb''\s  if^''  "^'"'^  ^"''''^'  "*■  ""^  '^y  scattered  rotund  tl^t 
roots.  As  to  the  circumstance,  mentioned  by  Dr.  Plott,  of  the  Euro 
pean  Nutliatch  "putting  its  bill  into  a  crack  in  the  bough  of  a  tree 
i:nd  making  such  a  violent  sound,  as  if  it  was  rending  asfinder,"  Ss' 
f  true,  would  be  sufficient  to  distinguish  it  from  the  ipecies  we  liaie 
been  just  describing,  which  possesse^s  no  such  faculty.*  The  female 
differs  httie  trom  the  mnle  in  color,  chiefly  in  the  black  beinHess 
deep  on  the  head  and  wings.  " 


RED-BELLIED,  BLACK-CAPPED  NUTHATCH  -  SITTA 
VARIA.  — Fio  - 

Sitta  varia,  Bar^  p.  289. -Siu.  Canadensis.  TV.rton.  _  Sm«,    Ptai.atm    /.«/, 


Silla  Canadensis,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  96. 


/ 


uJ    t  t''-  '?  '""';''  ^'"?""  *^^"  *«  I'l^t'  measuringronly  four  inches 

bill,  tongue,  nostn  s,  and  in  the  color  of  the  back  and  tail-feathers  it 
e^xac^ly  agrees  with  the  former;  the  secondaries  are  not   elieved  wiU 
«ie  deep  black  of  the  other  species  ;  and  the  legs,  feet,  and  claws,  are 

Sounded  b'^fSnp    V^^Z'  '^'  "PP^^  P'^^  of'the\ead  is  bkc^ 
hounded  by  a  stripe  of  white  parsing  round  the  frontlet;  a  line  of 

alone^iru'!!!'".-!?"*"'*'  "'"'^^  "'  'P'"^  ""'"'  "^  ^'°"*'''  "f"  f""'-  i»  i«  '"r  li.e  kernels 
Th.  v'JL  •  '  "•  ""'  y**"""''  accounts,  to  bo  both  a  seed  and  erahi  eater 
Svedrs™lXT;er^."S''.°"'  T"  Nuthatch  splits  „uts""see^;7crtoly 

in;=a4n:^^^rtsrc\izrhS^^^^ 

vhi  n  oreaKs  a  nii>6ri  with  ease. Ed.  '  "  "    "     ~"       ~      "' ' 


'4l 

h 


28  RED-BELLIED,  BLACK-CAPPED  NUTHATCH. 

bl.k  passes  through  U.  eye  -t^ 

Une  o/^  white ;  the  chin   «  ^  f  Jj^J^^^^dusky  lead  color.    The  breast 

ae^;S?rS':'etf  Tsodeep'a  brown,  and  U.e  top  of 

the  head  is  less  m^^P'^l^  ^  mssine  from  Uie  north,  where  they  breed, 
This  species  %^\f^^'^^Al^^Z\TrS.mmng  in  April.    Its  voice 
to  the  Southern  States  i"  ^,'^*°/'^^T^^^^^^ 

is  sharper,  and  its  motions  "uch  Q^'^e  it  a  difficult  point  to  shoot 
so  rapi^,  restless  and  «'"f  1' ^  ^^i^f^re  n  the  woods  together,  they 
one  of  theni.    When  the  two  species  are  ^^.  ^^^^  ^^^^^ 

are  easily  distinguished  by  tiieir  voices,  m  ^^^  .^peated 

nearly  an  octave  /harper  than  that  o^^  /^^  ^like  unmusical 

more'huniedly.  In  o^l^^J  ,3''  jieaTto  each  other  in  their  colors 
SSrh^bitsTir^i:  S^  -de  of  building,  &c., 

HuteS?;^  de  la  C«— f  an^^^uthatcl;  of  other  Euro- 

pean  writers)  is  either  ^ /«""§,  *^"i  that  raWv  visit^  the  United 
Lperfect  plimage,  or  a  f  ^f--^ -^,'  ^o^Sy  L'ored,  it  must  be 

States.  If  the  figje  (^^;j«;^^^^^  the  same  bluish  gray  or  lead 
the  latter,  as  the  tail  and  head  app  ^^.^  species,  it  maybe  ob- 

color  as  the  back.    The  yo""?  "^'^"  ,  color  during  the  first  season; 
served,  have  also  the  crown  o    V^^nrlv  ns  t lose  of  the  old  ones.   ' 
but  the  Uil-feathers  are  marked  nea^^^^^^^^^  these  authors 

Want  of  precision  in  the  ngures  aim  k  probable,  that 

Takes  it  Sifficult  to  J^S'oeL  alt  SgyrheadV  Brown.  Siita 
Sitta  J<'rm^'^'^J^lf''{:^^'''Ss^^^^^  of  Linn.BUB,  Gmelin, 

SSTrVille^s"^  have  been  originally  applied  to  different 

nwSYthe  species  - -/- ^f ^phie^re^    You  may 
This  bird  is  particularly  fond  of  the  sg  o^  P       ^^^^^^  ^o^as, 
traverse  many  thousand  acres  of  oak,  hicko^,  ^^^^      ^^^  „„ 

during  winter,  wiUiout  ^ef  "g^itha^"g^  j^  ^,3  ^tjil,  you  have 
soone?  do  you  enter  among  tje  f  nes  toi^'  '^J^\.^^  ^-^^^^  ^^  ^here 
only  to  listen  for  a  few  ^^^"^/"f  ^f^^'  "iSibing  about  in  all  di- 
to  find  them.  They  "^^^^^^t/bv  the  fo'rmr  species,  as  well  as  by 
rections,  generally  accompanied  by  the  tormerp       ^  p^^ 

the  Titmouse,  Pan«  '^"<^«F«"'«|  ^"^  ^he  C^^^^^^^^ 
6icoZor,andnotunfrequently  by  Aeb^^^^  P^^^  tVee  to 

pubmens ;   Uie  whole  5:0™P^"y  J^f^^Sre ;  while,  in  a  calm  day, 
t^ethroughthewoods  ikeacorp   of  pioye^^^^         ,^  ^^^^ 

the  rattling  ot  t'leir  bills,  and   tlie  rapm  .        numberiess 

thrown,  like  so  many  tumblers  and  J«P^;^^^^^^^^^^  altogether 

positions,  together  -^th  ^'e  P^euli"  f  att^^^^^  ^^^^g  ^^^ 

rcK*"'l>ihX7/atrtLm  t  |2at  quantity  of  destruc 

.  ,t  is  curious  10  remark  the  -|la"ty.  -  J^-,^^^^^^^ 
of  some  species.    In  this  «^"""i7>""b|:S  mtercourse,  nothing  is  more  com- 
aside  those  ties  wh.ch  ^""f  .^'^^^''^^he  S-  Ma  sh,  Cole,  and  Long-tailed  Titmice, 
mon  than  to  see  a  whole  'f-^  ,'''J,'^^,^J^^^  wrens,  and  perhaps  a  solitary  Creeper 

3.»».><,.<>nian  with  a  host  Ol  UOiaen-crcsit.li  »_.  ■>-•    ,  f-n-ii-  "-rh  o«hpr-  as  if  II 

pr;«:;^d1n"the  manner  here  menUoued,  ana  repibrijr  f^llw  ...ch  o_-., . . 


GOLD-WINbi!.l)   NVOOJU'EOKER. 


'29 


tive  insects  and  larvae  they  destroy,  both  uncfer  the  bark  and  among 
the  tender  buds  of  our  fruit  and  forest  trees,  are  entitled  to,  and  truly 
deserving  of,  our  esteem  and  protection. 


GOLD-WINGED  WOODPECKER.  — PICUS  AURATUS.  —  Fio.  8. 

Le  pic  aux  ailes  dorees,  Dc  Buffon,  vii.  39,  PL  enl.  G93.  —  Picus  auratus,  Liim.  Syit. 

174. Cuculus  alls  de  auratis,  Klein,  p.  30.  —  Catesby,  i.  18.  —  Latluxm,  ii. 

597.  —Bartram,  p.  289.  —  Peak's  Museum,  No.  1938. 

COUiPTES  ^URATVS.  —  Bviwmov.* 

Picus  auratus,  Perm.  Arct.  Zool.  ii.  p.  270.  —  Waaler.  No.  84.  --  Bonap.  S-mop. 
p.  44.  —  Golden-winged  Woodpecker,  And.  i.  p.  191.  —  Colaptes  auratus,  North. 
Zool.  ii.  314. 

This  elegant  bird  is  well  known  to  our  farmers  and  junior  sports- 
men, who  take  every  opportunity  of  destroying  him ;  the  former,  for 
tJie  supposed  trespasses  he  commits  on  their  Indian  corn,  or  the  trifle 

a  laid-out  palli.  An  alarm  may  cause  a  temporary  digression  of  some  of  the 
troop ;  but  these  are  soon  perceived  making  up  their  way  to  the  main  body.  The 
whole  may  be  found  out,  and  traced  by  tlieir  various  and  constantly  reiterated 

cries.  —  Ed.  „         „  ,      ,>•  •  j    i 

*  This  beautiful  species  is  typical  of  one  form  among  the  Picianm,  ana  lias 
been  designated  under  the  above  title  by  Mr.  Swainson.  The  form  appears  to 
range  in  North  and  South  America,  the  West  Indian  Islands,  and  m  Africa ;  our 
present  species  is  confined  to  North  America  alone.  They  are  at  once  distinguished 
from  the  true  Woodpeckers  and  the  other  groups,  by  the  curved  and  compressed 
bill,  the  broad  and  strong  shafts  of  the  (juills,  which  are  also  generally  brightly 
colored,  and  appear  very  conspicuous  during  flight  when  the  wings  are  expanded. 
In  the  typical  species  they  are  of  a  bright  golden  yellow,  whence  the  common 
name;  and  in  one  closely  allied,  the  C.  Mp,riCon«s,  Sw.,  of  a  bnght  reddish  orange; 
in  a  third,  C.  Bra.iiliensis,  they  are  of  a  pale  straw  yellow.  The  upper  parts  of 
the  plumage  are,  in  general,  barred,  and  the  feathers  on  the  hind  head  are  of  a 
uniform  length,  never  crested.  A  difference  in  form  will  always  produce  a  difter- 
ence  in  halnt;  and  we  accordingly  find  that  these  birds  more  frequently  perch  on 
the  branches,  and  feed  a  great  deal  upon  the  ground  ;  they  seem  also  to  possess 
more  of  the  activity  of  the  Nuthatch  and  Titmice  than  the  regular  chmJ)  ol  the  ty|)ica 
Woodpeckers.  1'he  Golden-winged  Woodpecker  is  known  to  feed  a  great  deal 
upon  ants,  seeking  them  about  the  hills,  and,  according  to  !\Ir.  Audubon,  also  picks 
up  grains  and  seed  from  the  ground.  In  a  Brazilian  species,  Picus  campestnsoi 
Spix  and  Marlius,  wc  have  analogous  habits  ;  and,  as  the  name  implies,  it  is  olleii 
seen  uoon  the  ground,  frequenting  the  ordure  of  cattle,  and  turning  it  over  in  search 
ofinseci. ;  or  in  the  neighborhood  of  ant  hills,  whore  they  find  an  abundant  and 
very  favorite  food.  We  find  also  the  general  development  of  form  joined  <o  hao"', 
in  the  tvpical  form  of  another  group,  the  common  Green  and  Gray-headed  Wood- 
peckers of  P^uropc,  which  feed  much  on  anU,  and  of  course  seek  them  on  the 

irround. ,      e  ^t 

Mons.  Lesson,  in  his  Manual  (VOniilhologie,  has  given  it  the  title  of  Cucmncus, 
makin"  the  African  species  typical.  He  of  course  was  not  aware  of  its  having 
been  previously  characterized ;  and  in  that  of  America,  all  the  forms  are  more 

clearly  developed.  . ,  .     ,     ,  i     j         j- 

The  C.  Mexicanns,  mentioned  before,  wa.,  met  with  in  the  last  over-land  expedi- 
tion  and  will  form  an  addition  to  the  Norlh  American  species  :  it  was  killed  by  Mr 


ill: 


I 


I'l  ;• 


.1^ 


I  ■ 


.li 


3Q  GOLD-WINGED   WOODPECKER. 

he  will  bring  in  market;  and  tlie  latter  for  tlie  mere  pleasure  of  de- 
struction,  and  perhaps  for  tlie  flavor  of  his  flesh,  which  is  m  general 
esteem.    In  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  he  can  scarcely  be  called  a 
bird  of  passage,  as,  even  in  severe  winters,  they  may  be  found  within 
a  few  miles  of  tlie  city  of  Pliiladelphia ;  and  I  have  known  them  ex- 
posed for  sale  in  market  every  week  during  the  months  of  November, 
December,  and  January,  and  that,  too,  in  more  tlian  commonly  rigor- 
ous weather.    They  no  doubt,  however  partially,  migrate  even  here ; 
being  much  more  numerous  in  si)ring  and  fall,  tlian  m  winter     harly 
in  the  montli  of  April,  they  begin  to  prepare  tlieir  nest,  which  is  built 
m  the  hollow  body  or  branch  of  a  tree,  sometimes,  though  not  always, 
at  a  considerable  heiglit  from  tlie   ground;   for  I  have   frequently 
known  them  fix  on  the  trunk  of  an  old  applo-tiee,  at  not  more  tlian 
six  feet  from  tlie  root.    The  sagacity  of  tliis  bird  in  discovering, 
under  a  sound  bark,  a  hollow  limb  or  trunk  of  a  tree,  and  its  perse- 
verance in  perforating  it  for  the   purpose  of  incubation,  are  truly 
surprising;  the  male  and  female  alternately  relieving  and  encoura- 
ginir  each  otlier,  by  mutual  caresses,  renewing  their  labors  tor  several 
days,  till  the  object  is  attained,  and  the  place  rendered  sufficiently 
capacious,  convenient,  and  secure.     At  this  employment  they  are  so 
extremely  intent,  that  thev  may  be  heard  till  a  very  late  hour  in  tlie 
evening,  thumping  like  carpenters.    I  have  seen  an  instance  where 
they  had  dug  first  five  inches  straight  forward,  ana  then  downward 
more  tlian  twice  tliat  distance,  through  a  solid  black  oak.    They 
carry  in  no  materials  for  their  nest,  the  soft  chips  and  dust  ol  the 
M'ood  serving  for  tliis  purpose.    The  female  lays  six  white  eggs, 
almost  transparent,  vcrv  thick  at  the  greater  end,  and  tapering  sud- 
denly to  the  other.    The  young  early  leave  the  nest,  and,  chmbing 
to  the  higher  branches,  are  there  fed  by  tlieir  parents. 

The  food  of  this  bird  varies  with  the  season.  As  Uie  cornmon 
cherries,  bird  cherries,  and  berries  of  the  sour  gum  successively  ripen, 
lie  regales  plentifullv  on  them,  particularly  on  the  latter;  but  the 
chief  food  of  tliis  species,  or  that  which  is  most  usually  lound  in  his 
stomach,  is  wood-lice,  and  the  young  and  kirvro  of  ants,  of  which  he 
is  so  immoderately  fond,  that  I  have  frequently  found  Ins  stomach 
distended  with  a  mass  of  these,  and  these  only,  as  large  nearly  as  a 
plumb.  For  the  procuring  of  these  insects,  nature  has  remarkably 
fitted  him:  tlie  bills  of  Woodpeckers,  in  general, are  straight,  grooved 
or  channelled,  wedge-shaped,  and  compressed  to  a  thm  edge  at  the 
end,  tliat  they  may  the  easier  penetrate  the  hardest  wood ;  that  of  the 
Gold-winged  Woodpecker  is  long,  slightly  bent,  ridged  only  on  the 
top,  and  tapering  almost  to  a  point,  yet  still  retaining  a  little  ot  the 
wedge  fonn  there.  Both,  however,  are  admirably  adapted  tor  the 
peculiar  manner  each  has  of  procuring  its  food ;  the  former,  like  a 
powerful  wedge,  to  penetrate  the  dead  and  decaying  branches,  after 
worms  and  insects ;  the  latter,  like  a  long  and  sharp  pick-axe,  to  dig 
up  the  hillocks  of  pismires,  that  inhabit  old  stumps  m  prodigious 
multitudes.    These  beneficial  services  would  entitle  him  to  some 

David  Uoiifflas  lo  the  westward  of  (lie  Rocky  Moiiiilains.  The  more  common 
foinilry  is  Mexico,  whence  it  exlciids  aioiip:  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  some  distance 
northward  of  the  Columbia  River,  and  to  New  California.  — Ed- 


y 
k 


GOLD-A\.>GED  WOODPECKER. 


81 


regard  from  the  husbandman,  were  lie  not  accused,  and  perhaps  not 
without  just  cause,  of  being  too  partial  to  the  Indian  corn,  when  in 
that  state  which  is  usually  called  roasting-ears.  His  visits  are  indeed 
rather  frequent  about  this  time ;  and  the  farmer,  suspecting  what  is 
going  on,  steals  through  among  the  rows  with  his  gun,  bent  on  ven- 
geance, and  forgetful  of  tlie  benevolent  sentiment  of  the  poet,  that 

Just  ;is  wide  of  justire  he  must  fnll, 
VV^io  thinks  all  iiiadu  iur  one,  not  one  for  all. 

But  farmers,  in  general,  are  not  much  versed  in  poetry,  and  pretty 
well  acquainted  with  the  value  of  corn,  from  the  hard  labor  requisite 
in  raising  it 

In  rambling  through  the  woods  one  day,  I  happened  to  shoot  one  of 
these  birds,  and  wounded  him  slightly  in  the  wing.  Finding  him  in 
full  feather,  and  seemingly  but  little  hurt,  I  took  him  home,  and  put 
him  into  a  large  cage,  made  of  willo\v's,  intending  to  keep  him  in  my 
o^vn  room,  tliat  we  iriiffht  become  bettor  acquainted.  As  soon  as  he 
found  himself  enclosed  on  all  sides,  he  lost  no  time  in  idle  fluttering, 
but,  throwing  himself  against  the  bars  of  the  cage,  began  instantly  to 
demolish  the  \/illows,  battering  them  with  great  vehemence,  and  ut- 
tering a  loud,  piteous  kind  of  cackling,  similar  to  that  of  a  hen  when 
she  is  alarmed  and  takes  to  wing.  Poor  Baron  Trenck  never  labored 
with  more  earer  diligence  at  the  walls  of  his  prison,  than  this  son  of 
the  forest  in  Ins  exertions  for  liberty ;  and  he  exercised  his  powerful 
bill  witli  such  force,  digging  into  the  sticks,  seizing  and  shaking  tliem 
so  from  side  to  side,  tliat  he  soon  opened  for  himself  a  passage ;  and, 
though  I  repeatedly  repaired  the  breach,  and  barricadoed  every  open- 
ing, in  the  best  manner  1  could,  yet,  on  my  return  into  the  room,  I 
always  found  him  at  large,  climbing  up  the  chairs,  or  running  about 
tht.  rioor,  where,  from  the  dexterity  of  his  motions,  moving  backward, 
forward,  and  sidewise,  with  the  same  facility,  it  became  difficult  to  get 
hold  of  him  again.  Having  placed  him  in  a  strong  wire  cage,  he 
seemed  to  give  up  all  hopes  of  making  his  escape,  and  soon  became 
very  tame ;  fed  on  young  ears  of  Indian  corn  ;  refused  apples,  but  ate 
the  berries  of  the  sour  gum  greedily,  small  winter  grapes,  and  several 
other  kinds  of  berries ;  exercised  himself  frequently  in  climbing,  or 
rather  hopping  perpendicularly  along  the  sides  of  the  cage ;  and,  as 
evening  drew  on,  fixed  himself  in  a  high  hanging,  or  perpendicular 
position,  and  slept  with  his  head  in  his  wing.  As  soon  as  dawn 
appeared,  even  before  it  was  light  enough  to  perceive  him  distinctly 
across  the  room,  he  descended  to  the  bottom  of  the  cage,  and  began 
his  attack  on  the  ears  of  Indian  corn,  rapping  so  loud,  as  to  be  heard 
from  every  room  in  tlie  house.  After  this,  he  would  sometimes  resume 
his  former  position,  and  take  another  nap.  He  was  beginning  to 
become  very  amusing,  and  even  sociable,  when,  after  a  lapse  of 
several  weeks,  he  became  drooping,  and  died,  as  I  conceived,  from 
the  effects  of  his  wound.* 


\  i 


II 


'->    i 


>  8 
f 


*  Mr.  Audubon  says  they  live  well  in  confinement.  "The  Golden-winged 
Woodpecker  never  suffers  its  naturally  lively  spirit  to  droop.  It  feeds  well ;  and 
by  way  of  amusement  will  continue  to  destroy  as  much  furniture  in  a  day,  as  can 
well  be  mended  by  a  different  kind  of  workman  in  a  week."    The  same  gentleman, 


p" 


35^  golt)-v»in(;ed  woodpecker. 

Some  European  naturalists  (and,  among  the  rest,  Linnffius  himself 
in  hrten  i;  Sn  of  ^.y.ima  V«/nr.)  have  classed  Jis  Im-d  with  ti^a 
rrpniis  Cuculus  01- Cuckoo,  informing  their  readers,  that  it  possesses 
Sw  of  the  'mbits  of  the  Cuckoo ;  that  it  is  almost  always  on  the 
Zind    is  never   e'en  to^c         trees  like  the  other  Woodpeckers,  and 
a"  t^  bill  is  altogether  unlike  theirs  ;  every  one  of  which  assertions 
must  say,  is  incoLct,and  could  have  only  Foceedcd  from  an  e^Ure 
unacquaintance  with  the  manners  of  the  bird.    Except  in  the  .rt^c  e 
of  the  bill  — and  that,  as  has  been  before  observed,  is  still  a  iiuc 
tdte-formed  at  the  l>oint-it  differs  in  "O  one  chara^^^^^^^ 
tlie  rest  of  its  genus.    Its  nostrils  are  covered  with  tufts  ot  rccum 
bent  hairs  Ismail  feathers;  its  tongue  is  round,  worm-shaped  flat- 
tened towards  the  tip,  pointed,  and  furnished  -^^h  mmute  b^^^^^^^ 
also  long,  missile,  and  can  be  instantaneously  P'^truded  to  an  uncom 
mon  distance.    The  os  hyoides,  or  internal  parts  of  tlie  tongue,  like 

migrations,  although  part.al,  (^^  3' '°7=^.l  *'^',  '  utJ  bj  thei  note  and  ih^e 
the  severest  vvmters,)  are  IV'^""";,'^  "''  '",.";f  ^^  ff  oim^^^^  Of  its  movement  he 
whistling  of  their  wipp,  whirh  c  ro  heard  'fo™j^^  ,8'°";;-  Wpii.e  itself  as  erect 

compared  with  those  we  have  .yet  to  describe. 

ccmceivo  il  iiccesmry  for  mo  lo  Mic,  iliat  it  may  enable  l"™^  ~""J!°  ,  m, 
ihan  m,,.elf  ,o  decide  as  lo  ihe  -ea.on.  <■!  '"'I;  "'"STid  "l.  ?e"  Iwi  ." 

shot  dozens  of  young  M'oodpeckers  m  I  us  peculiar  ^'z^*''  "' .K"p^^^^^  from 

being  shown  to  other  persons,  were  thought  by  them  to  be  "^J'^f^"'/?^^'^^*  ;"  ;, 
whar  thn  hir<ls  ar.ually  were.    Th-^s  occurrence  '^'^e  more  worthy  of  noUce  as 
is  exhibited  oil  all  the  species  of  this  genus,  on  the  heads  of  which,  wnen 

I -.„— ^...  i:«rt  fvictp  '^  —  En. 

ptuxnugt;.  it  vcij  liCTiiO"  i.i..-  s-i-i —         ^ — 


GOLD-WINGED  WOODPECKER. 


33 


those  of  its  tribe,  is  a  substance  for  strength  and  elasticity  resembling 
wimlebone,  divided  into  two  branches,  each  the  thickness  of  a  knitting 
needle,  tliat  pass,  one  on  each  side  of  tlie  nock,  to  the  hind  head, 
where  they  unite,  and  run  tip  alonjr  the  skull  in  a  groove,  covered  with 
a  thin  membrane,  or  sheath;  do;crr','l  into  the  upper  mandible  by  the 
right  side  of  the  right  nostril,  iin.I  yc-.r.h  to  within  half  an  inch  of  the 
point  of  the  bill,  to  whicii  they  avo  attached  by  another  extremely 
clastic  membrane,  that  yields  when  the  tongue  is  thrown  out,  and 
contracts  as  it  is  retracted.  In  the  other  Woodj)eckers  we  behold  the 
same  apparatus,  differing  a  little  in  different  species.  In  some,  these 
cartilaginous  substances  reach  only  to  the  top  of  the  cranium;  in 
others,  they  reach  to  the  nostril ;  and  in  one  species  tliey  are  wound 
round  the  bone  of  the  right  eye,  which  projects  considerably  more 
tJian  the  left  for  its  accommodation. 

The  tongue  of  the  Gold- winged  Woodpecker,  like  the  others,  is 
also  supplied  with  a  viscid  fluid,  secreted  by  two  glands  that  lie 
under  the  ear  on  each  side,  and  are  at  least  iivo  times  larger  in  this 
species  than  in  any  other  of  its  size  ;  with  this  the  tongue  is  continu- 
ally moistened,  so  that  every  small  insect  it  touches  instantly  adiieres 
to  it.  The  tail,  in  its  strength  and  pointedncss,  as  well  as  the  feet 
and  claws,  prove  that  the  bird  was  designed  for  climbing;  and  in 
fact  I  have  scarcely  ever  seen  it  on  a  tree  five  minutes  at  a  time 
without  climbing;  hopping  not  only  upward  and  downward,  but 
spirally ;  pursuing  and  playing  witii  its  fellow  in  this  manner  round 
tlio  body  of  the  tree.  I  have  also  seen  them  a  hundred  times  alight 
on  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  though  they  more  frequently  alight  on  the 
branches ;  but  that  they  climb,  construct  like  nests,  lay  the  same 
number  and  tlie  like-colored  eggs,  and  have  the  manners  and  habits 
of  the  Woodpeckers,  is  notorious  to  every  American  naturalist; 
while  neither  in  the  form  of  their  body,  nor  any  other  part,  except  in 
the  bill  being  somewhat  bent,  and  tlie  toes  placed  two  before  and  two 
behind,  have  tlicy  the  smallest  resemblance  whatever  to  tlie  Cuckoo. 

It  may  not  be  improper,  liowever,  to  o!)serve,  th'it  there  is  another 
species  of  Woodpecker, called  al.io  Gold-winged,*  which  inhabits  the 
country  near  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  resembles  the  present,  it  is 
said,  almost  exactly  in  the  color  iind  form  cf  its  bill,  and  in  the  tint 
and  markings  of  its  plumage,  v.ith  this  difference,  that  the  mustaches 
are  red,  instead  of  black,  and  tlie  lower  side  of  tlie  wings,  as  well  as 
their  shafts,  are  also  red,  whore  the  other  is  golden  yellow.  It  is  also 
considerably  less.  With  respect  to  the  iiabits  of  tliis  new  species, 
we  have  no  particular  account;  but  there  is  little  doubt  that  they 
will  be  found  to  correspond  with  the  one  we  are  now  describing. 

The  abject  and  degraded  character  which  tlie  Count  de  Buffon, 
with  equal  eloquence  and  absurdity,  has  drawn  of  the  whole  tribe  of 
Woodpeckers,  belongs  not  to  the  elegant  and  sprightly  bird  now 
before  us.  How  far  it  is  applicable  to  any  of  them  will  be  examined 
hereafter.  He  is  not  "  constrained  to  drag  out  an  insipid  existence  in 
boring  the  bark  and  hard  fibres  of  trees  to  extract  his  prey,"  for  he 
frequently  finds  in  the  loose,  mouldering  ruins  of  an  old  stump  (the 
capital  of  a  nation  of  pismires)  more  than  is  suflacient  for  the  wants 

*  Picus  cafer,  Turton's  Linn. 


34  GOLD-WINGED  WOODl'ECKEll. 

Of  a  whole  week^  i/e  cannot  be  .aul  ^^^^!;i;tZX  ^^^^^ 
life,  without  an  ,;f  "'J^^Jhe  e^  anl^B  v^^^^^^^^^  o/r.orning 

peep  ot  dawn,  ^'»l,  ^P^"^f,;^t^,SL.  calling  on  his  mate  or  corn- 
on  Uie  highest  peaks  ot  the  t^'l^.^^.F^^^^^^^^^^^^^  round  the  large, 
panions;   or  pursuing  -^"^  gamboling  with  thun   r^^^^^^ 

Lbs  and  body  of  tl'^t^ee  tor  lu^urs^t^^^^^^^^      l?an"  an  intervfil  of 

habits.     Can  it  be  said,  "^^^t  "nee  ssty    ever     r  j  ^      ,[ 

sound  repose"  to  that  bird,  who  ^^h'  <;  "^her  tnbeyre  ex^^^ 

the  peltings  of  the  midnight  storm,  lodP^B  1  Y    Ji^'.^'^'.'.u.^icrence 

chamber  ^i'  his  own  constructing?  «;; f  ^^V  ife "  w  o  as    o^ons  and 

of  a  tree  circumscribes  At.  dull  roun^    h^^^^^^^^^^ 

inclination  inspire,  roams  fr°™  ^be  fng.d  to  the  torrm^      '  ,^        ^- 

the  abundance  of  various  regions  ?    Or  is  '^  ^  prooi  "»  ^^-^^ 

tite  is  never  softened  by  delicacy  of  taste,    because  ne  so  o' 

to  bUl  of  fare,  occasioLly  P'^*^"^"f  ^"^^l^ranS Touting    mf^^^ 

ness  of  young  Indian  corn,  -^"^  ^  ?« -hj'^'f  ^1^3  turn  to 

of  the  wild  cl.erry,  sour  gum  and  '^''^  J;,^f"-pi„  g  a„d  ^ay  whether 

,ea-iibly  astray  1  and  8».>f  9»"^  <''°  "''"'- Sv  the  capriio  of  a 

■ria  pits  "i"..Er"^iti  r  as  4  a.,  a„a 

ougiit  to  be  so!  Rurouean  who  has  misrepresented 

=i;:'^:ithL*";Srfo^n;icS^^^^^^^^ 

window-glass,  througli   whose   crooked    F^^^f^^^J^^^;,,^  „,„st, 

appears  so  strangely  distorted,  that  one   scarcely  ni 

intimate  neighbors  fn^/cquamtances.  ^j.  .^ 

The  Gold-winged  Woodpecker  »>•»«  the  back  ami  wmg 
dark  umber,  transversely  marked  ^.th  equidisU^^^  S  surrounding 
upper  part  of  the  head,  an  iron  gray ;  'J^^^^^^Sb  "  a  strip  of 
the  ev.'s.  a  fine  cinnamon  color ;  from  ^"^^  ^°?*,®'^  ^  ,V  « \>,rniit  and  a 
fJi  an  inch  in  >engU.,  p..-  do»„  each  «de  °f  *'£    ^J'f„S 

'™S'Vaffin?4SrU[°.1  Sc\  7ZL,.:  .he  ,id.  of  the 

n-  +  Latham  i  Klein. 

•  SecErwyc.  Brit.  art.  i""^-        .|.„us__L-truBcos  arborum  nou  scandit.— 

InU.  O^..  vol.  i.  p.  '^-- 


GOLD-WIxVGED  WOODPECKER. 


86 


neck,  below  this,  incline  to  a  bluish  gray;  throat  and  chin,  a  very 
ligti?,  cinnamon  or  fawn  color ;  the  breaat  is  ornamented  with  a  broad 
crescent  of  deep  black ;  the  belly  and  vent,  white,  tinged  with  yellow 
and  scattered  with  innumerable  round  spots  of  black,  every  feather 
having  a  distinct  central  spot,  tiiose  on  the  thighs  and  vent  beinrr 
hsun-shaped  and  largest ;  tlie  lower  or  inner  side  of  the  wing  an3 
tail,  shafts  of  all  the  larger  feathers,  and  indeed  of  almost  every 
feather,  are  of  a  beautiful  golden  yellow;  that  on  the  shafts  of  the 
pnmaries  being  very  distinguisliable,  even  when  the  wings  are  shut ; 
i!ie  rump  is  white,  and  remarkably  prominent;  the  tail-coverts  white 
and  curiously  serrated  with  black  ;  upper  side  of  tlie  tail,  and  the  tip 
b.-low,  black,  edged  with  light,  loose  filaments  of  a  cream  color,  the 
two  exterior  feathers  serrated  with  whitish ;  shafts,  black  towards  the 
tips,  the  two  middle  ones,  nearly  wholly  so;  bill,  an  inch  and  a  half 
long,  of  a  dusky  horn  color,  somewhat  bent,  ridged  only  on  the  top 
tapering,  but  not  to  a  point,  that  being  a  little  wedge-formed ;  legs 
and  feet,  hght  blue;  iris  of  the  eye,  hazel;  length,  twelve  inches; 
extent,  twenty.  The  female  differs  from  the  male  chiefly  in  the 
greater  obscurity  of  tlie  fine  colors,  and  in  wanting  the  black  mus- 
taches on  each  side  of  the  throat.  This  description,  as  well  as  the 
drawing,  was  taken  fro.n  a  very  beautiful  and  perfect  specimen. 

Though  this  species,  generally  speaking,  is  migratory,  yet  they 
often  remain  with  us  in  Pennsylvania  during  the  whole  winter.  They 
also  inhabit  the  continent  of  North  America,  from  Hudson's  Bay  to 
Georgia ;  and  have  been  found  by  voyagers  on  the  north-west  coast  of 
America.  They  arrive  at  Hudson's  Bay  in  April,  and  leave  it  in  Sep- 
tember. Mr.  Hearne,  however,  informs  us,  that  "  the  Gold-winged 
Woodpecker  is  almost  the  only  species  of  Woodpecker  that  winters 
near  Hudson's  Bay."  The  natives  there  call  it  Ou-thee-quan-nor-ow, 
from  the  golden  color  of  the  shafts  and  lower  side  of  the  winffs.  It 
has  numerous  provincial  appellations  in  the  ditferent  states 'of  the 
Union,  such  as  "  High-hole,"  from  the  situation  of  its  nest,  and  "Hit- 
tock,"  "  Yucker,"  "  Pint,"  "  Flicker,"  by  which  last  it  is  usually  known  in 
Pennsylvania.  These  names  have  probably  originated  from  a  fancied 
resemblance  of  its  notes  to  the  sound  of  the  words ;  for  one  of  its 
most  common  cries  consists  of  two  notes,  or  syllables,  frequently  re- 
peated, which,  by  the  help  of  the  hearer's  imagination,  may  easily  be 
made  to  resemble  any  or  all  of  them. 


99 


BLACK-THKOAT  El>  BUN  UNO. 


BLACK-THROATED  BUNTING. -EMBERIZA 
AMERICANA.  — Fio.  9. 

•    .u   iM»«Kir,l  Rrtr<ram  I).  291.  — i'«a'e'»^««'*'">  No.  6952,  — 

KMBERIZJt  jIMERlCJiJVJI.-Ui'nxv:* 
Fringilla  Americana,  Bonap.  St/nop.  107. 

of  Phil;vdelplua  am  Hce„^  o  p^^^^^^^  le  ^^^  ^^^^.^  ^  ^_^.^  ^^  ^  l^^ 
grass,  timothy,  or  clover,  wiiLn^  ui  7  female  lays  five 

Iround,  and  ^^--J,;  ^if^  ec^  n^li"^^^^^  btack  Like  mo^st  part 
tttirl?nur  ey  arrnoSfcoleEra^^  f.r  «.usical  powers.  Theu 
of  their  genus,  iiiey  an.  n  ,,roper  v,  of  two  notes 

whole  song  «^<;"^;«  ^f/^^'j' Sv'  U^^^^^  rapidly, 

the  first  repeated  twice,  "^"^  5'"'^'>y,.\^^^^  ,,4^^  aucii  as  it  is,  they  are 
resembling  chp,  <^.'"/^„t,f  J,f  i.;„^^  ,S  fi    t^a;rLl  for  the  space  of 

1  In  nnd  t  .ere  che  upin-  for  half  an  hour  at  a  time.  In  travelling 
^  '  h  ,1  ftWpnt  mirts  of  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  in  spring  and 
through  d.fterent  P'^rts  01  m  j  ,^^^^  ^^^^ 

^ZS'v^hetSe^  dTa  o^uKo  in  A^gust'tfey  beeome  mute; 
Ssoon'a" cm"^  is,  towards  the  beginning  of  September,  leave  us 

'"'X^^Slack-lhroated  Btmting  \^  six  inches  and  a  half  in  length; 

The  ""i'='V"f  thV.  .pad  is  of  a  dusky  green  sh  yellow  ;  neck,  dark 

theupperpartc^f  thobejd  «o^  a^^^^  J^^  ^^^  eye,  and  at 

ftsh  ;  breast,  inside  f  °"';?,«^'^!  j",^;  chin:  and  space  between  the  bill 
the  lower  angle  of  tl^  '  Vred^i^t  1  a  broad,  oblong,  somewhat  heart- 
stp^rVlrif'Kr^^^^^^^^^        each'side  ^ith  white;  back. 

u  i,-,«i<.  nprfpctlv  tvDical  wilh  \hc  Eviherizm  of  Europe;  iho 

•  America  has  no  birds  P^i^^^^^'J 'T.  ,'    difjcalions,  Ihat  of  E.  viiliaria,  with 

crnup  appears  to  assume  iwo  fP""'''.""''f„i7hJ  weS  make  of  E.  scha-iiicvhis. 

fhe  bill  of  considerable  strength,  and  th     ^f«h«,Y^Jf,^„X  ',,»«,  , HI  rank  the 

To  the  former  will  be  ^H'^d  our  _j.rese.U  _species^,  ^^^  .^  ^_^^^^^^  renrescutcd  in 


uy  mca..:>  V,.   ...-  --       ,  II  of  I  ,c  pa  atial  Knot),  ana  me  wiuencna  u.  ..  v, 

variations  arc  the  want,  or  smallne^^^  .^  ,j,^  ^^^ 

upper  mandible,  which  exceeds '1^^^^^  p„,,,riva  for  some  birds,  but  ni- 

the  true  birds     /.eillot    1  be^icN  c  p  opo^«  ^^^     ^^  .     ^^ 

eluded  many  that  were  not  so  f^;'>  ""'^'^'^'f  X»-W^^^    Wc  think  t\ie  form,  color 
receive  them,jd  to  sand^^^^^^^  -d  habit,  associates  them  much  closer  to 

.r^and  niark.ngs-jo'^^.d  w''^"^  ^^^^^^  g  ^^.^^^  them. -Ed. 


BLUE-filRU.  CT 

rump,  and  tail,  t'erruginoua,  the  first  streaked  with  black;  wings, 
deep  duHky,  etifjod  with  a  light  clay  color  ;  lesser  coverts  and  whole 
Hhf.ulder  of  the  wing,  bright  bay;  bully  and  vent,  dull  white;  bill, 
light  blue,  dusky  ubovc, strong  and  powerful  for  breaking  seeds;  legs 
and  feet,  brown  ;  iris  of  the  eye,  hazel.  The  female  dill'ers  from  the 
male  in  having  little  or  no  black  on  the  breast,  nor  streak  of  yellow 
over  the  oyu  ;  bcncatli  the  eye  she  has  a  dusky  etrcak,  running  in  the 
direction  of  the  jaw.  In  all  those  I  opened,  the  stomach  was  tilled 
with  various  seeds,  gravel,  eggs  of  insects,  and  sometimea  a  slimy 
kind  of  earth  or  clay. 

Tiiis  bird  has  been  figured  by  Latham,  Pennant,  and  several  otliers. 
The  former  speaks  of  a  bird  which  ho  thinks  is  eitlior  the  same,  or 
nearly  resembling  it,  tliat  resides  in  summer  in  tlio  country  about 
Hudson's  Bay,  and  is  often  seen  associating  in  flights  with  tlio  Geese.* 
This  habit,  however,  makes  me  suspect  that  it  must  bo  a  different  spe- 
cies ;  for,  while  with  us  here,  the  Black-throated  Bunting  is  never 
gregarious,  but  is  almost  always  seen  singly,  or  in  pairs,  or,  at  most, 
the  individuals  of  one  family  together. 


BLUE-BIRD —SYLVIA  SIALIS.— Fio.  10. 


Le  roure  fforge  bleu,  De  Buffon,  v.  212.    PI.  enl.  390, 

■  Ci    ■  '  -     "     •■•  "•  •■ 


Blue  Warbler,  Lath.  ii. 
446.  -  -  datesb.  i.  47.  —  MoUicilir.  Sialis,  Linn.  Syst.  336.  —  Bartram,  p.  291.— 
Peak's  Museum,  No.  7108. 


S/ILIjI   IfyLSOJV//.  — Sw4i!f»or«.t 

The  Blue  Redbreast.  Ediv.  pi.  24.  —  Saxicola  sialis,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  89.  —  Ery- 
thaca  (Sialia)  Wilsonii,  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  210. 

The  pleasing  manners  and  sociable  disposition  of  this  little  bird 
entitle  him  to  particular  notice.  As  one  of  the  first  messengers  of 
spring,  bringing  the  charming  tidings  to  our  very  doors,  he  bears  his 

*  Latham,  Synopsis,  Supplement,  p.  1.58. 

t  This  beautiful  species,  interesting  both  as  regards  its  domestic  economy  and 
the  intimate  link  which  it  fills  up  in  the  natural  system,  has  been  dedicated,  by  Mr. 
Swainson,  to  our  author.  It  remained  a  solitary  individual,  until  the  discovery  of 
a  Mexican  species  by  that  goiitleman,  described  under  the  title  of  S,  Mexicana  ; 
and  llie  return  of  the  last  over-land  Arctic  expedition  brought  forward  a  third,  con- 
firming the  views  that  were  before  held  regarding  it.  According  to  these,  it  will 
range  among  the  Saxicolinae,  whence  it  had  been  previously  removed  from  Sylvia 
hy  Vieillot  and  Bonaparte,  and  it  will  hold  the  place,  in  North  and  South  America, 
of  the  Robin  of  Europe,  and  the  Stoncchats  of  that  country  and  Africa  ;  while,  in 
New  Holland,  the  Muscicapa  multicolor,  now  bearing  the  generic  title  of  Petroica, 
with  some  allied  species,  will  represent  it.  The  old  sp>ecies  ranges  extensively  over 
North  America  and  the  northern  parts  of  the  south  continent,  extending  also  to 
some  of  the  islands  :  the  newly-discovered  one  appears  confined  to  a  more  northern 
latitude.  It  has  been  described  in  the  second  volume  of  the  Northern  Zoology, 
under  the  name  of  8.  Arctica,  and  1  now  add  the  information  contained  in  tbat 
valuable  work :  — 

"  Color  of  the  dorsal  aspect,  ultramarine  blue  ;  the  webs  of  the  tertiaries  and  the 


I  1 


II   ' 


!. 


m 


as 


BLUE-BIRD, 


own  recommendation  alwayi.  alonff  with  him,  and  meeta  with  a  hearty 

welcome  from  every  body.        ,     .     ,    ..  »  ,„  „„  »k. 

Tlioueh  uenorally  accounted  a  bird  of  paflsage,  yet,  bo  early  ob  the 
middle  of  Febn.ary,  if  Uie  weather  be  oi)en,  he  UH.mlly  makes  hia  ap- 
pearance about  his  old  haunts,  the  barn,  orchard,  and  fence  posts. 
Storms  and  deep  snows  sometimes  succendrng,  ho  disappears  tor  a 
time  :  but  about  the  middle  of  March  is  again  seen,  accompanied  by 
his  mate,  visitini?  the  box  in  tl.e  garden,  or  tlie  hole  •" /he  "''I'^PP'''; 
tree  the  cradle  of  s(,me  jrenerations  of  his  aiicestDrs.    «  When  he  hrst 
beginH  his  anu.urH,"  suys  a  n.rieus  an.l  correct  observer,  "  it  is  pleading 
to  behold  his  courtship,  .-s  solicitude  to  please  and  to  secure  the 
favor  of  his  beloved  female.    He  uses  the  tenderest  expressions,  sits 
close  by  her,  caresses  and  sings  to  her  his  most  endeanng  warblings. 
When  seated  together,  if  ho  espies  an  insect  delicious  to  her  tjiste,  ho 
takes  it  up,  flies  with  it  to  her,  spreads  his  wing  over  her,  and  put^  it 
in  her  mouth."*     If  a   rival  makes  his  appearance,  —  for  they  are 
ardent  in  tlioir  loves, -he  quits  her  in  a  moment,  attacks  and  pursues 
fho  intruder  as  he  shifts  from  place  to  place  in  tones  tho    bespeak 
the  iealousy  of  his  riifection,  conducts  him,  with  manvrcprooH,  beyond 
die  pxtremitiea  of  his  territory,  and  returns  to  warb  e  ouc  his  trans- 
portaof  triumph  beside  his  beloved  mate.    Tho  pre  immaries  being 
[hus  settled,  and  the  sp.3t  fixed  on.  they  begin  to  clean  out  the  old 
nest  and  the  rubbish  of  the  former  year,  and  to  prepare  for  the  re- 
ception of  their  future  offspring.     Soon  after  this,  another  sociable 
little  pilgrim  {JV/o/«d//«  donustira  House  Wren)  also  arrives  from  the 
south,  and,  finding  such  a  snug  birth  precKJCupied  shows  1»«  «P'te,  by 
watchincr  a  convcmient  opportunity,  and,  in  the  absence  of  the  owner, 
poppingln  and  pulling  out  sticks,  but  takes  special  care  to  make  oft 

aa  fast  as  possible.  ^,11  1 

The  female  lays  five,  and  sometimes  six  eggs,  of  a  pale  blue  color, 
and  raises  two,  and  sometimes  Uiree  broods  in  a  season;  the  male 
taking  tlie  youngest  under  his  particular  care  w lulcthe  female  is  again 
sitting.  Their  principal  food  are  insects,  particularly  large  beetles,  and 
others  of  the  coleopterous  kinds  that  lurk  among  old,  dead,  and  docav- 
inff  trees.  Spiders  are  also  a  favorite  repast  wit/i  them.  In  the  tall, 
thiy  occasionally  regale  themselv.-  on  the  berries  of  tho  «our  gum ; 
and,  as  winter  approaches,  on  thos.  of  the  red  cedar,  niu  on  the  fruit 
of  a  rough,  hairy  vine,  that  runs  up  mid  cleaves  fast  to  the  trunks  of 
trees.    Ripe  pereimmons  is  another  of  their  favorite  dishes,  and  many 

(ins  of  the  inner  margins  oi  tlic  quill  nn<l  tail-ftalhers,  dull  umber  brown  ;  tho  l.aPo 
T.hP  Xma^e  blarkish  eray.     i'^d^r  w'/l.r^-tho  fhceks,  throat    breast,  and 

„s  des  S t"  .MWngs  grcen^,  blue,  borHerinj;  on  the  abdomen  to  ffray..h  blue ;  v.-n.- 
ralhers  a.Kl  undl^  tlil-coverts,«l>ae  ;  tail  beneath,  and  nts.de  of  the  qu.ll-feathers, 
oTv'e  br^wn  w"lh  a  strong  tinge  of  blue  :  hill  r.nd  feel,  pitch  bhck  ;  form,  m^nera  , 
taiof  SWilsonii.  but  il.e?.ill  is  considerably  narrower  at  the  base,  and  propor- 

ionablv  larrer,  slralghter.  an-l  less  notched,  and  bent  at  the  l.p  of  the  ."PPer  mBn- 

rho-^trbrendlhisequaltoiiH  depth;  «...«,  three  quarters  of  an  inch  shorter 
thantCtail    the    'coT^^^^^^^  >he  fondest;  tlie  first  and  third  are  equal, 

and  about  a  inc  shorter ;  the  tenth  is  an  inch  and  a  half  shorter  than  the  se.  .md5 
fail  forkod,  or  deeply  eiJiarpnated,  the  central  feathers  being  more  than  half  M 
IS  shor'ie;  than  the  cxterio7  ones  •,  legs  and  f^t,  similarly  formed  wlh  those  of  & 

Wilsnmi:  length,  seven  inches  nine  lines    —  hD. 
•  I  ...u.,  froSi  Mr.  Willinni  Bartro.Jf.  to  the  author 


BIJITv  niRD. 


89 


other  fruits  and  seeds  which  I  have  found  in  their  Btom.ich3  at  that, 
Hoiwoii,  whicli,  bcinjj  no  botunist,  I  am  unable  to  particularize.  They 
are  frocinently  poHtered  witli  a  Hpecies  of  tape  worni,  Hume  of  which  I 
have  tnken  from  tlioir  inteHtinen  of  an  extraordinary  size,  and,  in  Home 
cases,  in  jfroat  numbers.  Most  other  birds  are  also  plaptied  with  tiieso 
vermin ;  but  the  Blue-Bird  seems  more  subject  to  them  tiiun  any  I 
know,  except  tlie  Woodcock.  An  account  of  the  different  species  of 
vermin,  many  of  winch,  I  doubt  not,  are  nondescripts,  tliat  infest  tlio 
plinnajre  and  intestines  of  our  birds,  would  of  itself  form  an  interestinff 
p>iiilic(ition ;  but,  as  this  belon/fs  more  properly  to  tho  entomologist,  I 
riluill  onlj',  in  the  course  of  this  work,  take  notice  of  some  of  the  most 
remarkable. 

The  usual  spring  and  summer  song  of  the  Blue-Bird  is  a  soft, 
agreeable,  and  oft-repeated  warble,  uttered  with  open,  quivering  wings, 
and  is  extremely  pleasing.  In  his  motions  and  general  character,  ho 
has  great  resemblance  to  the  Robin  Redbreast  of  Britain ;  and,  had 
he  the  brown  olive  of  tliat  bird,  instead  of  his  own  blue,  could  scarcely 
be  distinguished  from  him.  Like  him,  he  is  known  to  almost  every 
child  ;  and  shows  as  much  confidence  in  man  by  associating  with  him 
in  summer,  as  the  other  by  his  familiarity  in  winter.  lie  is  also  of  a 
mild  and  peaceful  disposition,  seldom  fighting  or  quarreling  with  other 
birds.  His  society  is  courted  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  and 
few  farmers  neglect  to  provide  for  him,  in  some  suitable  place,  a  snug 
little  summer-house,  ready  fitted  and  rent  free.  For  tliis  he  more  than 
sufficiently  repays  them  by  the  cheerfulness  of  his  song,  and  the  mul- 
titude of  injurious  insects  which  he  daily  destroys.  Towards  fall,  that 
is,  in  the  month  of  October,  his  song  changes  to  a  single  plaintive  note, 
as  ho  passes  over  the  yellow  many-colored  woods ;  a»  its  melancholy 
air  recalls  to  our  minds  the  approaching  decay  of  t  jn;e  of  nature. 
Even  nflerthe  trees  are  stripped  ofiiuir  leaves,  he  stj-i  .ingers  over  his 
native  lields,  as  if  loath  to  leave  them.  About  the  middlt>  or  end  of 
November,  few  or  none  of  thfin  are  seen;  but,  with  evny  return  of 
mild  and  open  weather,  ■  huai  ids  plaintive  note  amidst  tlie  fields, 
or  in  the  air,  seeming  to  deplore  the  devastations  of  winter.  Indeed, 
he  appears  scarcely  ever  totally  to  forsake  us;  but  to  follow  fair 
weather  through  all  its  joumeyings  till  the  return  of  spring. 

Such  are  the  mild  and  pleasing  manner  of  the  Blue-Bird,  and  so 
universally  is  he  esteemed, ;  tat  I  have  often  regretted  that  no  pastoral 
muse  has  yet  arisen  in  this  western,  woody  world,  to  do  justice  to  his 
name,  and  endear  him  to  us  still  more  by  the  tenderness  of  verso,  as 
has  been  dime  to  his  representative  in  Britain,  the  Robin  Redbreast 
A  smHll  acknowledgment  of  this  kind  I  have  to  offer,  r.hichthe  reader, 
I  hopi',  will  excuse  as  a  tribute  to  rural  innocence. 


n 


When  winter's  oold  tempests  and  snows  arc  n 

Green  meadows  and  brown  furrow'd  field.'  ; 
The  fishermen  hauling  their  shad  to  the  short:, 

And  cloud-cleaving  Geese  to  the  lakes  :'.ie  : 
When  first  the  lone  butterfly  flits  on  the  ving, 

When  red  glow  the  maples,  so  fresh  and  so  pleasing,  - 
O  then  comes  the  Hluc-Hird,  the  herald  of  spring  I 

Ard  hails  with  his  warblings  the  uhurms  of  the  season. 


more, 
•ppearing, 

steeriug ; 


'ti! 


40 


BLUE-BIRD. 


Then  loud-piping  frogs  make  ihe  marshes  to  ring ; 

Then  warm  glows  the  sunshine,  and  hne  is  the  weather  5 
The  blue  woo<lland  flowers  just  beginning  to  sprmg, 

And  spicewood  and  saisalras  budding  together  : 
O  then  to  your  gardens,  je  housewives,  repair, 

Your  wiillis  border  up,  sow  and  plant  at  your  leisure; 
The  Blue-Bird  will  chant  from  his  box  such  an  air. 

That  all  your  hard  toils  will  seem  truly  a  pleasure ! 

He  flits  through  the  orcliart ,  ,ie  visits  each  tree. 

The  red-flowering  peach.  And  the  apple's  sweet  blossoms  } 
He  snaps  up  destroyers  wherever  the v  be, 

4.nd  seizes  the  caitilTs  that  lurk  m  their  bosoms ; 
He  drags  the  vile  grub  from  the  corn  it  devours. 

The  worms  from  their  webs,  where  they  not  and  welter ; 
His  sonff  and  his  services  freely  arc  ours. 

And  ail  that  he  asks  is  —  in  summer  a  shelter. 

The  ploughman  is  pleased  when  ho  gleans  in  his  train. 

Now  searching  the  furrows,  now  mounting  to  cheer  him, 
The  gardener  delights  in  his  sweet,  simple  strain, 

Ana  leans  on  his  spade  to  survey  and  to  hear  him 
The  slow,  lingering  schoolboys  forget  they  II  be  chid, 

While  gazing  intent  as  he  warbles  before  them, 
In  mantle  of  sky-blue,  and  bosom  so  red. 

That  each  little  loiterer  seems  to  adore  him. 

When  all  the  gay  scenes  of  the  summer  are  o'er. 

And  autumn  sfow  enters,  so  silent  and  sallow, 
And  million'!  of  warblers,  that  rharm'd  us  before. 

Have  fled  in  the  train  of  the  sun-seekmg  bwallow, 
The  Blue-Bird,  forsaken,  yet  true  to  his  home, 

Still  lingers,  and  looks  lor  a  milder  to-morrow. 
Till,  forced  by  the  horrors  of  winter  to  roam, 

He  sings  his  adieu  in  a  lone  note  of  sorrow. 

While  spring's  lovely  season,  serene,  dewy,  wann, 

The  green  face  of  earth,  and  the  pure  blue  of  heaven, 
Or  love's  native  music  have  inllueuce  to  charm. 

Or  sympathy's  glow  to  our  feelings  are  given. 
Still  dear  to  eachLosom  the  Blue-Bird  shall  be; 

His  voice,  like  the  thrilliiigs  of  hope,  is  a  treasure  ; 
For,  through  bleakest  storms,  if  a  calm  he  but  see. 

He  comes  to  remind  us  of  sunshine  and  pleasure  . 

Tlie  Blue-Bird,  in  summer  and  fall,  is  fond  of  frequentmg  open  pas- 
ture fields,  and  there  perching  on  the  stalks  of  the  great  mullein,  to 
look  out  for  passing  insects.  A  whole  family  of  tiiem  are  often  seen 
thus  situated  as  if  receiving  lessons  of  dexterity  from  their  more  ex- 
pert, parents,  who  can  espy  a  beetle  crawling  among  the  grass,  tit  a 
Considerable  distance ;  and,  after  feeding  on  it,  instantly  resume  their 
former  position.*    But  whoever  informed  Dr.  Latliam,  tliat  "  this  bird 

•  The  very  habits  of  our  European  Saxicolm  are  here  described ;  H'cy  '"variably 
icek  the  summit  of  some  elevation,  a  hillock,  a  stone,  bush,  or  some  o(  the  taller 
^d  plants,  a^d  if  occasionally  on  a  tree,  the  topmost  branch  is  always  preferred  ; 
SiKey  perch,  uttering  their  monotonous  call,  which  increases  in  anx.eU-a.id 
frSuency  as  we  approacT.  the  nest,  or  the  young  before  they  are  able  to  ffy  or 
thS  alight  at  intei^^als,  run  for  some  distance,  anS  '^^'n '^"'""""'.'"J^ '  f'^^'^H" 
W&en  not  annoyed,  they  retain  the  saros  elevated  situations,  looking  out  for  food 
.-kin"  Z  bsects  s4ldom  on  the  wing,  ;ul  generally  by  a  sudden  spring,  or  leap 


'  i 


t^- 


1^^ 

--K^t^tgl^ 

■■^ssmmi^' 


uuJia,htm,<:i^if^-"^ 


f^ 


/.li''^" 


^./ 


THE   SPOON  BILL 


1 

li  • 

M\^  ' 

1 

i 

BLUE-BIRD. 


41 


is  never  seen  on  trees,  though  it  makes  its  nest  in  the  holes  of  them ! "  • 
might  as  well  have  said,  that  the  Americans  are  never  seen  in  the 
streets,  though  they  build  their  houses  by  the  sides  of  them.  For  what 
is  there  in  the  constniction  of  the  feet  and  claws  of  this  bird  to  prevent 
it  from  perching  ?  Or  what  sight  more  common  to  an  inliabitant  of 
this  country  than  the  Blue-Bird  perched  on  the  top  of  a  peach  or  apple- 
tree  ;  or  among  tlie  branches  of  those  reverend,  broad-armed  chestnut- 
trees,  that  stand  alone  in  tlie  middle  of  our  fields,  bleached  by  the 
rains  and  blasts  of  ages  ? 

The  Blue-Bird  is  six  inches  and  three  quarters  in  length,  the  wings 
remarkably  full  and  broad  ;  the  whole  upper  parts  are  of  a  rich  sky 
blue,  with  purple  reflections  ;  the  bill  and  legs  are  black ;  inside  of 
the  mouth  and  soles  of  the  feet,  yellow,  resembling  the  color  of  a  ripe 
persimmon ;  the  sliafts  of  all  the  wing  and  tail-feathers  are  black ; 
throat,  neck,  breast,  and  sides,  partially  under  the  wings,  chestnut ; 
wings,  dusky  black  at  the  tips  ;  belly  and  vent,  white ;  sometimes  the 
secondaries  are  exteriorly  light  brown,  but  the  bird  has  in  that  case 
not  arrived  at  his  full  color.  The  female  is  easily  distinguished  by 
the  duller  cast  of  the  back,  the  plumage  of  which  is  skirted  with  light 
brown,  and  by  the  red  on  the  breast  being  much  fainter,  and  not  de- 
scending nearly  so  low  as  in  the  male ;  the  secondaries  are  also  more 
dusky.  This  species  is  found  over  the  whole  United  States ;  in  the 
Bahama  Islands,  where  many  of  tliera  winter;  as  also  in  Mexico, 
Brr  .  •  >nd  Guiana. 

L  )  wards  mentions,  that  the  specimen  of  this  bird  which  he  was 
frvc  o  .  with,  was  sent  from  the  Bermudas ;  and,  as  these  islands 
abound  witli  the  cedar,  it  is  highly  probable  that  many  of  those  birds 
pass  from  our  continent  thence,  at  the  commencement  of  winter,  tc 
enjoy  the  mildness  of  that  climate  as  well  as  their  favorite  food. 

As  the  Blue-Bird  is  so  regularly  seen  in  winter,  after  the  contin- 
uance of  a  few  days  of  mild  and  open  weather,  it  has  given  rise  to 
various  conjectures  as  to  the  place  of  his  retreat ;  some  supposing  it 
to  be  in  close,  sheltered  thickets,  lying  to  the  sun ;  others,  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  sea,  where  the  air  is  supposed  to  be  more  temperate, 
and  where  tlio  matters  thrown  up  by  the  waves  furnish  him  with  a 
constant  and  plentiful  supply  of  food.  Others  trace  him  to  the  dark 
recesses  of  hollow  trees,  and  subterraneous  caverns,  where  they  sup- 
pose he  dozes  away  the  winter,  making,  like  Robinson  Crusoe,  oc- 
casional reconnoitring  excursions  from  his  castle,  whenever  the  weather 
happens  to  be  favorable.  But  amid*  the  snows  and  severities  of  win- 
ter, I  have  sought  for  him  in  vain  in  the  most  favorable  sheltered  sit- 
uations of  the  Middle  States ;  and  not  only  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
sea,  but  on  both  sides  of  the  mountains.t  I  have  never,  indeed,  ex- 
plored the  depths  of  caverns  m  searcli  of  him,  because  I  would  as 

down,  and  retumini?  immediately  with  the  prey  in  their  bill,  where  it  is  retained  for 
a  few  minutes,  while  Ihoy  repeat  their  imiform  note.  The  young,  as  soon  as  tifey 
are  able  to  fly,  have  the  same  manners  with  their  parents,  and  at  the  season  when 
these  are  first  on  the  wing,  some  extensive  commons  have  appeared  almost  entirely 
ill  motion  with  our  common  species.  —  Ed. 

*  Synopsis,  vol.  ii.  p.  446—40. 

t  I  speak  of  the  species  here  generally.    Solitary  individuals  are  found,  particu- 
larly among  our  cedar-trees,  sometimes  in  the  very  depth  of  winter. 
4# 


.  I 


0     \ 


ill, 


4& 


BLUE-BIRD. 


soon  expect  J>  ^ct  with  ^P^^rS^rcS^K  S^^^l 

bird.:  bein;T  found  ^"''"^''•JiVjre-eno      observation  seems  t.. 
Middle  and  Eastern  States,  the  same  gentr  j^  ,vintcr 

prevail,  that  the  Blue-B  rd  a  -«y«  n;Jes  '"s  m>e"'-»n  ^^^^^^^^  ^ 

?ftcr  a  few  days  of  m.ld  a"*^^"  ^"ii^le  ^^;„as  ^  North  and  Sonth 
have  myself  found  tl'^m  n"mcr"«9  i^  j^^^^^^^^^^^^  assured  by 

Carolina,  in  the  depth  of  ^^'^  !^  ,.ff  ^Jo  have  resided  in  the  islands 
different  gentlemen  ^^S  Bahamarar^TenTuuk^^  that  this  very 
of  Jamaica,  Cuba,  and  the  «ah«m^a"  ^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^, 

bird  is  common  ^'>«;%'"  ;;"  f^  j,  IJ  ^el  Low 

Hernandez,  Piso,  and  others,  that  it  is  ^  c  .j    ^g^^^. 

and  Brazil;  and,  if  so,  the  pl'^^«//^^*^j  ^.f™  y  of  holes  and 
tained,  without  having  '"e^o^^^  |«  ^^fj^  ri^cuSrimprobabilities. 
caverns,  torpidity,  l^y^""'*^""' "^^'^j;^^^^^  than  to  see  large  flocks 
Nothing  IS  "'"^«^""""r  fdl  r^Ssin'  at  considerable  heights  m 
of  these  birds,  m  spnng  am^  [;  J;  F^^^^"  j..,^,^  t,,^  north  in  th-.-  latter 
the  air  ;  from  the  south  in   li  <    ;™  /'^f  ^.tobor,  about  an  hour  after 

season.    I  have  seen,  in     '«  T"  'j  J  ^^^^1^^     eat  height,  and  settle 
sunrise,  ten  or  fifteen  of  tie.nde»cen(i  iron  ^^^_^^^  ^^^ 

on  the  top  of  a  tall,  detaeh.d  ^'^^-ZT  A\^r  a  pause  of  a  few 
sedateness^tobe  stxan^goj^J-d  f^^^^^^^     Atl^      ^P^^^^  ^^^ 
minutes,  they  began  to  ^l'-^''^/";'        ^r  ^^^^    t,jen,  on  a  few 

tinued  so  employed  for  ten  "^  h^^c"  n  ^^  ^^  ^^^ 

warning  notes  being  given,  F  ^  «  %;i';°„  j^  ^  ji^ect  line  for  the 
whole  remounted  t".;^/^V.rtfie  ch vin  J'tle  Bahamas  towards  the 
south-west.  In  passing  '^j?:"-,p^n  occur  from  the  frequency  of 
West  Indies,  no  ^rea    ^lifficulty^^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^.^\^  ,^,  ,i, 

these  islands;  nor  even  to  tl'C  «e™"«y  continent.  This  may 
hundred  miles  from  the  "^^jf  ^'^  ^^.^^  ,  bird ;  but  it  is,  neverthe- 
seem  an  extraordinary  fl.ght  or  ^  ^"^"^  "^^  ;  ^^^  Blue-Bird  in  this 
less,  a  fact  that  it  i«  P«^to™7  '  Jepemnuto  which  is  less  than  I 
case  to  fly  only  at  the  rate  of  V™, /over  land,  ten  or  eleven  hours 
have  actually  ascertained  him  to  do  oj^;  l^^''^^^,,  ^j^e  chances  he 
would  be  sufficient  to  «c^«"^Pl'^K™^ -[""J^^J^  "he  number  of  vessels 
would  have  of  resting-p  aces  ^^^^^"^  ^^^^^.^^^^^^^^^^  at  most, 

that  generally  navigate  those  sea^.     In  ^'_^^^^''^J^^^  ^im  from  the 
allovvmg  for  numerous  stages  for  [^^y^iJThe   Atlantic  States. 

Seisuppcilion.  will  be  fully  corroborated. 


ORCHARD  ORIOLE.  43 


ORCHARD  ORIOLE.  —  ORIOLUS  MUTATUS.— 
Figs.  11, 12, 13, 14. 

Pcalf  1  IUuseitm,No.  1508.  —  Bastard  Baltimore,  CaicsAj/,  i.  49.  —  Le  Baltimore 
Batird,  De  Buffon,  iii.  i!33.  PL  enl.  506.  —  Oriolus  Spurius,  Gmelin,  Syst.  i.  p. 
389.— Lath.  fiyn.  ii.  p.  433,  20,  p.  4'?7,  li.  —  Bartram,  p.  290. 

ICTERUS  SF    ft/t/S.  — Bonaparte. 
Icterus  Spurius,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  5  . — The  Orchard  Oriole,  Aud.  i.  221,  pl.xlii. 

There  are  no  circuinstatices,  relating  to  birds,  which  tend  so  much 
to  render  their  history  obscure  and  perplexing,  as  the  various  changes 
of  color  winch  many  of  tliem  undergo.  These  changes  are  in  some 
cases  periodical ;  in  others  progressive  ;  and  are  irequently  so  extra- 
ordinary, that,  unless  tlio  naturalist  has  resided  for  years  in  the 
country  which  the  birds  inhabit,  and  has  examined  them  at  almost 
every  season,  ho  is  extremely  liable  to  be  mistaken  and  imposed  on 
by  their  novel  appearance.  Numerous  instances  of  this  kind  mi^ht 
be  cited,  from  the  pages  of  European  writers,  in  which  the  same  bird 
has  been  described  two,  three,  and  even  four  dift'orent  times,  by  the 
same  poison,  and  each  time  as  a  different  kind.  Tiic  species  we  are 
now  about  to  examine  is  a  remarkable  example  of  this ;  and  as  it  has 
never,  to  my  knowledge,  been  either  accurately  figured  or  described, 
I  have  devoted  one  plate  to  the  elucidation  of  its  history. 

The  Count  de  Buffon,  in  introducing  what  ho  supposed  to  be  the 
male  of  this  bird,  but  which  appears  evidently  to  have  been  the  female 
of  the  Baltimore  Oriole,  makes  Iho  following  observations,  which  I 
give  in  tlie  words  of  his  translator:  —  "This  bird  is  so  called,  (Spuri- 
ous Baltimore,)  because  the  colors  of  its  plumage  are  not  so  lively  as 
in  the  preceding,  [Baltimore  O.)  In  fact,  when  we  cornpaie  these 
birds,  and  find  an  exact  correspondence  in  every  thing  except  the 
colors,  and  not  even  in  the  distribution  of  tliese,  but  only  in  the 
different  tints  tliey  assume,  we  cannot  hesitate  to  infer  that  the 
Spurious  Baltimore  is  a  variety  of  a  more  generous  race,  degenerated 
by  the  influence  of  climate,  or  some  other  accidental  cause." 

How  the  influence  of  climato  could  affect  one  portion  of  a  species 
and  not  the  other,  when  both  reside  in  the  same  climate,  and  feed 
nearly  on  the  same  food ;  or  what  accidental  cause  could  produce  a 
difforonce  s :  striking,  and  also  so  regular,  as  exists  between  the  two, 
are,  I  confess,  matters  beyond  my  comprehension.  But  if  it  be  rec- 
ollected that  the  bird  which  the  Count  was  thus  philosophizing  upon, 
was  nothing  more  than  the  female  Baltimore  Oriole,  whicli  exactly 
corresponds  to  the  description  of  his  male  Bastard  Baltimore,  the 
difficulties  at  once  vanish,  aud  with  them  the  whole  superstructure  of 
theory  founded  on  this  mistake.  jDr.  Latham,  also,  while  lie  confesses 
the  great  confusion  and  uncertainty  that  prevail  between  the  True  and 
Bastard  Baltin;?re,  and  their  females,  considers  it  highly  probable  that 
the  whole  wir.  ;e  found  to  belong  to  one  and  the  same  species,  in 


I 


!i  I' 


44 


ORCHARD  ORIOLE. 


thPir  npciiliarities  of  form,  manners,  color,  &c.,  trom  me  commoii 
source^  of  a^^^^^^^^^  beings,  and  perpetuating  them,  by  the  usual 
nsofeenerSon,  as  unmixed  and  independent  as  any  other,  iMo 
Sitbfnoworse'name,a  gross  absurdity  Should  the  read^^^^^^^^ 
^iRnleased  at  this,  I  beg  leave  to  remind  him,  that,  as  the  taitmui 
SS  oflr  feaAered  tribes,  I  must  be  allowed  the  If  Jty  of  v  n- 
S  n^Aem  from  every  "misrepresentation  .vhatever^^^^^^^^ 

-t^^^rr^^S^terica^ 
subject)  that  the  present  is  a  distinct  species  f'o™^? ^.^f"'"?"'!,'  " 
m"ght  bllufficient^o  refer  to  Uie  representation  of  the  la  ter  in  Fig. 
Q  o!!^  tn  Fitr    14    of  this  work.    I  will,  however,  add,  that  1  con- 
Itth  s  SS^i'be^ecffically  different  from  ^^e  Baltimor^^^^^^^^^^ 
following  circumstances:  its  size -it  is  less,  and  m°'f,  f'^T'''^^^ 
coE.  which  are  different,  and  ve^y  differently  deposed  ;ih^  form  ofj 
hill   whirh  is  sharoer  po  nted,  and  more  bent ;  the  lorm  oi  lis  lau, 
w£ch'f n^t  tTbut^e^erf;  its  no.es,  -^ich  are  ne.her  so  ful 
nor  so  mellow,  and  uttered  with  much  more  rapidity ,  its  moae  oi 
TuldTngTand  the  materials  it  uses,  both  f  jh-f -^^^-^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
lastlv  uie  shape  and  color  of  the  eggs  of  each,  (see  J^igs.  o  ana  o,  i 
S  are  evidently  unlike.     If  all  these  -SnlrfesT^nafe  this    s 
enumerate  a  great  many  n. .re  -be  not  sufficient  ^«  f  ^'f ^^'j^'^J^^ 
a  distinct  species,  by  what  criterion,  1  would  ask,  are  we  to  discr  m 
a  Qibiiiiui,  apt,v.ic:o,    J  „^'™'„„/  anpr  PS  or  to  assurc  ourselves, 

inate  between  a  variety  and  tmor^ml  species,  ""^o  "^  ^^ 

that  the  Great  Horned  Owl  is  not  in  tact,  a  Ba^tod  l.oose,  or  tne 
Carrion  Crow  a  mere  variety  of  the  Humming  Bird .-' 

These  mistakes  have  been  occasioned  by  several  causes;  pnnci- 
pal  ly  by  tlTechanges  of  color  to  which  the  birds  are  subjec,  and  he 
distance  of  Europeans  from  the  country  tliey  inhabit.  Catesby,  it  is 
teue  whiS  here,  described  and  figured  the  Baltimore,  and  pe  haps 
w^'thc  first  who  published  figures  of  either  species;  but  he  entirely 
Ztted  saying  any  thing  of  L  female,  and,  instead  of  the  male  and 
Sale  of  the  present  species,  as  he  thought,  he  has  only  figged  the 
mSe  in  tw"  of \i8  different  d;esses;  andsuccecdmg  compaers  have 

•  Keferring  to  Wilson's  original  editwn. 


m. 


■?J--i 


ORCHAllD  ORIOLE. 


46 


followed  and  repeated  the  same  orior.  Another  cause  may  be  as- 
signed, viz.  the  extreme  shyness  of  the  female  Orchard  Oriole,  repre- 
sented at  Fijsf.  11.  This  bird  has  hitherto  escaped  the  notice  of  Euro- 
pean naturalists,  or  has  been  mistaken  for  another  species,  or  perhaps 
for  a  young  bird  of  the  first  season,  which  it  almost  exactly  resembles. 
In  none  of  the  numerous  works  on  ornithology  has  it  ever  before  ap- 
peared in  its  proper  character ;  though  tlie  male  has  been  known  to 
fiuropeans  for  more  than  a  century,  and  has  usually  been  figured  in 
one  of  his  dresses  as  male,  and  in  anotlier  as  female;  tliesc  varying 
according  to  the  fluctuating  opinions  of  different  writers.  It  is  amus- 
ing to  see  how  gentlemen  liavc  groped  in  the  dark  in  pairing  tJiese 
two  species  of  Orioles,  of  which  the  following  examples  may  be 
given : 


BufToii's  and  Latlmin's  Bal- 
timore Oriole. 

Spurious  Balliinore  of  diUo, 
Penimnl's  Balliiuoru  Oriole. 
Spurious  Oriole  of  ditto. 
Catesby's  Baltimore  Oriole. 
Spurious  Baltimore  of  ditto. 


,  Male.  .  .  .  Male  naltiniorc. 
Femde. . .  Male  Orchard  Oriole,  Fig.  14. 
,  Male. .  .  .  I'\<male  Baltimore. 
[  Female.  .  Male  <  )roliard  Oriole,  Fig  12. 
I  Male.  .  . .  Male  Baltimore. 
I  Female.  .  Young  male  Baltimore. 
i  Male.  .  .  .  Male  Orchard  Oriole,  Fig.  14, 
I  Female.  .  Ditto  <lilto,  Fig.  12. 
{  Male.  .  .  .  Mak'  Baltimore. 
(  Female.  .  Not  meiitiiiiied. 

I  Male Male  Orchard  Oriole.  Fig.  12. 

>  Female.  .  Ditto  ditto,  Fig.  14. 


Among  all  tliese  authors  Catesby  is  doubtless  the  most  inexcusable, 
having  lived  for  several  years  in  America,  where  he  had  an  opportunity 
of  being  more  coirect :  yet,  when  it  is  considered,  that  the  female 
of  this  bird  is  so  much  shyer  than  the  male ;  that  it  is  seldom  seen ; 
and  that,  while  the  males  are  flying  around  and  bewailing  tin  approach 
to  their  nest,  the  females  keep  aloof,  watching  every  movement  of  the 
enemy  in  restless  but  silent  anxiety ;  it  is  less  to  be  wondered  at,  I 
say,  that  t^v■o  birds  of  the  same  kind,  but  different  in  plumage,  making 
their  appearance  together  at  such  times,  should  be  taken  for  male 
and  female  of  the  same  nest,  without  doubt  or  examination,  as,  from 
that  strong  sympathy  for  each  other's  distress  which  prevails  so  uni- 
versally among  them  at  this  season,  it  is  difficult  sometimes  to  distin- 
guish between  the  sufferer  and  the  sympathizing  neighbor. 

The  fonialo  of  the  Orchard  Oriole,  Fig.  11,  is  six  inches  and  a  half 
in  length,  and  eleven  inches  in  extent ;  the  color  above  is  a  yellow 
olive,  inclining  to  a  brownish  tint  on  the  back ;  tlie  wings  are  dusky 
brown,  lesser  wing-coverts  tipped  with  yellowish  white,  greater 
coverts  and  secondaries  exteriorly  edged  with  the  same,  primaries 
slightly  so ;  tail,  rounded  at  the  extremity,  the  two  exterior  feathers 
three  quarters  of  an  inch  shorter  than  the  middle  ones ;  whole  lower 
parts,  yellow ;  bill  and  legs,  light  blue ;  tlie  former  bent  a  li<-tle,  very 
sharp  pointed,  and  black  towards  the  extremity ;  iris  of  tiie  eye, 
hazel  -,  pupil,  black.  The  young  male  of  the  first  season  corresponds 
nearly  with  the  above  description.  But  in  the  succeeding  spring  he 
makes  his  appearance  witli  a  large  patch  of  black  marking  the  front, 
lores,  and  tliroat,  as  represented  in  Fig.  12.  In  this  stage,  loo,  the 
black  sometimes  makej  its  appearance  on  the  two  middle  feathera 


l>  >l 


4g  ORCHARD  ORIOLE. 

e  ^u  ♦„,! .  „n^  sliirht  Stains  of  reddish  arc  seen  coinmencinff  on  the 
''•^-,*^  nnrl  hpflv  S  rest  Of  the  plunm|re  as  in  the  foumle;  tTus  con- 
sides  and  belly.  A"^^*^''^"'.\  '  ,,,„  Cira  aurinjr  the  reniniiidcr  ot 
tinuing  nearly  ^le  same  on    h  ,  b.nl  clu^r^^^^  ^^^^^  ^.^^^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^_ 

the  season.     At  the  ^^me  tnnc    o  ^^.  ^^^^  ^j^.^,^  ^^^^^^^^^^_ 

resented  by  Fig-  U^ '^'"i'^^^  ^y£^  „„  tl>e  uppor  parts  of  tlie 
rr„rAvSre^l^fbay  and  yell"-  on  tl>e  belly,  sides,  and  vent, 

orcnara,  aim  ui       ^  ,„  •.„  i  t,.  ihoir  resonct  vo  plani-colored  inatcs. 
'T'  Tthe'seTo'  n  at  .^      ,X  of  buildin.,  food,  and  notes  are, 
goner^  y        ak^"  tre"ln;,ditferin,  no  nu.ro  than  tl.se  oMujy 
Srcr  individuals  bolon.nnrr  to  one  common  species.     The  female 

'T.'n'^p'laiYXtlhet'Srcon.struct  thc.r  nests  very  differently 

knit,  or  sewea  uiiu  ^  t  acquaintance,  to 

actu-,aiy  done  -«     ;,,^,*^^,t;  tli  c^.rious  tlbricatton,  after  admiring 

a3f\h7!Zc^V:ct;;y  two  in  hes  deepby  ^vo 
IhadUi;cunos.ytod.t.ch..^^^^ 

HLS' dSJance      s"  1.1  -£.rttmos  hooked  through  and  returned 
wind  n™^^^^  Uie  nost!     Tiie  inside  is  usually  composed 

windin^r  ro"""  'I'"  anpondaffes  attached  to  tJie  seeds  ot  the 

^itoc^dM^^^^  -1-1^  form  a  very  sott  and 

fuaanus  ""^"'^""'    '  ^  thore  the  outward  work  is  extended  to 

«t^bn  V  to  the  whole,  and  prevent  it  from  beingr  overset  by  the  wind. 
^Vhen  the  1^^^^^  the  Ion.,  pendent  branches  of  the  -eepinj 
wU^w  "o  Imild  in,  as  they  frequently  do,  ^I'e  nest  thoujj  lonned  ^^^ 
thP  same  materials,  is  made  mucii  deeper,  and  ot  bligliter  texture. 
The  c'mind-e  ence  s  marked  out  by  a  number  of  these  pensile  tw  gs 
S?dercond  on  each  side  like  ribs,  supporting  the  whole ;  their  tbj 
foliage  at  the  same  time,  completely  concealing  the  nest  Irom  view 
Te  depth  n  this  case  is  incveaso.l  to  four  or  five  inches,  and  tiie 


1  m\ 


ORCHARD  ORIOLE. 


47 


whole  ia  made  much  slighter.  Those  lon^,  pendent  brandies,  being 
sometimoH  twelve  and  even  fifteen  feet  in  length,  have  a  large  sweep 
in  the  wind,  and  render  the  first  of  tiioao  precautions  necessary, 
to  prevent  the  eggs  or  young  from  beinij  thrown  out;  and  the  close 
shelter  afforded  by  the  remarkable  thickness  of  the  foliage  is,  no 
doubt,  tlie  cause  of  the  latter.  Two  of  these  nests,  such  as  I  have 
here  described,  are  now  lying  before  nie,  and  exhibit  not  only  art  in 
the  construction,  but  judgment  in  adapting  their  fabrication  so  judi- 
cioii-iiy  to  their  particular  situations.  If  the  actions  of  birds  pro- 
ceeded, as  some  would  have  ua  believe,  from  tlio  mere  impulses  of 
tliat  thing  called  itistincl,  individuals  of  tlio  same  species  would 
uniformly  build  their  nest  in  tlie  same  manner,  wliorevcr  they  might 
happen  to  fix  it ;  but  it  is  evident  from  those  just  mentioned,  and  a 
thousand  such  circumstances,  that  tlicy  reason  a  priori,  from  cause  to 
consequence;  providently  managing  with  a  constant  eye  to  future 
necessity  and  convenience. 

Tho  eggs,  one  of  which  is  represented  on  the  same  plate,  (Fig.  a,) 
are  usually  four,  of  a  very  pale  bluish  tint,  witii  a  few  small  specks 
of  brown,  and  spots  of  dark  purple.  An  egg  of  the  Baltimore  Oriole 
is  e>whibited  beside  it,  (Fig.  b  ;*)  both  of  tliese  were  minutely  copied 
from  nature,  and  are  suliicient  of  themselves  to  determine,  beyond  all 
possibility  of  doubt,  the  identity  of  the  two  species.  I  may  add,  that 
air.  Charles  W.  Peale,  proprietor  of  tlie  museum  in  Pliiladelphia, 
who,  as  a  practical  naturalist,  stands  deservedly  first  in  the  liret  rank 
of  American  connoisseurs,  and  who  has  done  more  for  the  promotion  of 
that  sublime  science  tlian  all  our  speculative  theorists  together,  has 
expressed  to  me  his  perfect  conviction  of  the  changes  which  tliese 
binls  pass  through;  having  hniwolf  examined  tliein  both  in  spring 
and  towards  the  latter  part  of  summer,  and  having  at  the  present 
time  in  his  possession  thirty  or  forty  individuals  of  tliis  species,  in 
almost  every  gradation  of  change. 

Th')  Orchard  Oriole,  though  pjirtly  a  dependant  on  the  industry  of 
the  farmer,  is  no  sneaking  pilferer,  but  an  open  and  truly  beneficent 
friend.  To  all  tliose  countless  multitudes  of  destructive  bugs  and 
caterjiillars  that  infest  the  fruit-ti-cos  in  spring  and  summer,  preying 
on  the  leaves,  blossoms,  and  embryo  of  tho  fruit,  he  is  a  deadly  ene- 
my ;  d(Wouring  them  wherever  he  can  find  them,  and  destroying,  on 
an  average,  some  hundreds  of  them  every  day,  without  offering  the 
sliirhtest  injury  to  the  fruit,  however  much  it  may  stand  in  his  way. 
I  liave  witnessed  instances  where  the  entrance  to  liis  nest  was  more 
than  half  closed  up  by  a  cluster  of  apples,  which  lie  could  have  easily 
demolished  in  half  a  minute ;  but,  as  if  holding  the  property  of  Jiis 
patron  sacred,  or  considering  it  as  a  natural  bulwark  to  his  own, 
he  slid  out  and  in  with  the  greatest  gentleness  and  caution.  I  am 
not  sufficiently  conversant  in  entomology  to  particularize  the  different 
species  of  insects  on  which  he  feeds,  but  I  have  good  reason  for  be- 
lieving that  they  are  almost  altogether  such  as  commit  the  greatest 
depredations  on  the  fruits  of  the  orchard ;  and,  as  he  visits  us  at  a 
time  when  his  services  are  of  the  greatest  value,  and,  like  a  faithful 
guardian,  takes  up  his  station  wjiere  the  enemy  is  most  to  be  expected, 

*  The  references  here  are  to  Wilson's  nrigiual  edition. 


'i    i 


li'  ' 


m   <  i 


Ill 


ORCHARD  ORIOI.E. 

\L  bird,  be  is  on  thp  «vound  -  "    the  tree b  ^^^^y  .^.^^^^     jj,^ 
hiB  hurried  manner,  m  uln.ost  o'    ,  ""JJ,j  J^^^^\\u  and  Bccmnie:  con- 
J  e  Im  and  lively,  but  «^«\^\V\' ,Cv  them  afstincay,    BotwecMi 
fusion,  that  the  ear  is  unabh.  to  '^""^     agreeable   and   mtcrestmg. 

nmrder^ous  gun  ^'^"f  °/\"  '"„'f  uomSic  tlowor.  and  blo.^om.,  and 
out  roi^traint  through  thickets  o*  ""'"JJ'^,.,  below,  bangs  his  nest,  in 
heedless  of  the  busy  gardener  that  laooi 

perfect  security,  on  the  branches  u.r  l'';';^'^^^-^,,^,^^  ,„  the  n.st  ten 
The  female  sits  fourteen  days ,  tl>«  y«  "-  , .  ,  j^  generally  about 
dajs  aaenvards,  before  they  7>-  IJ^,;,';  :.t^^  ■"  «^V->^''  ''""'''^7 
the^niddlo  of  June.  ^^,f  ^'7* ,  ^  Xch  u  ust  either  belong  to  birds 
found  so  late  a.  the  20th  oi  July,  -"  f     ^ablo  that  many  of    hem 

%e  orchard  Orioles  a.i.;  hi  IVimsylva^ 
Bultimores,  conimordy  about  in  h^t  v  ck         j^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^,^^^^  , 
as  the  Province  of  Maine.     They  ''^'   '^'"^      ,;    ,  ,he  country  near  the 
J^ountains  than  the  latter  ^^'^^^J^^^^e^^n  at  least  five  of  this 
Blue  Ridge,  in  the  »'""thot  August,  in  v        g  ^er,  they  take 

species  for'one  of  the  Baltimon  .     K^dy  in  ^J^^^^^  j,^,^^ 

their  departure  for  the  f,;f '';,;;';  ^.^totl.eir  departure,  the  young 
little  more  than  four  months.  1  >•';  "J  ^e  rich  extensive  meadows  of 
birds  bocome  g'-^Sanous,  and  h«iu.nt^^^^^^^^       ^^^^^  ^,^.^^y  ^^  ^ 

the  Schuylkill,  below  Phi  '^'^Sd  flom  the  nest,  and  soon  become 
upwards.'  They  are  «'^!ly/^;f4Vl  reared  and' kept  through  the 
agreeable  domestics,  ^"f  X„r„esg  and  vivacity  at  two  months  old. 
w'inter,  whistled  with  gy^^^^c  carness  ana  j  ^^^^^^  ^^^ 
It  had  an  odd  manner  of  moving  "^  "«°^"  .  observing  any  thing, 
irly,  and  in  various  directions  wh^yntcnt^^on^  ^^^^  ^^^.  „^ 

without  stirring  ^^J^\.  ^^ht  Tcandle  was  brought  into  the  room 
tliit  of  a  snake.  When  at  night  a  <^f ""  j.^  fluttering  about  the 
ft  became  restless,  and  evidently  ^^'^^^  Jag^  "'^^  P^^^^^'^  T  ^l 
cage,  as  if  seeking  to  g«t  «f '  ^"''^med  e^tremlly  well  pleased,  fed 
^amo  table  with  the  candle,  '^  „*'*'J'".  i^g  i„age>at  as  close  to 
In  drank,  dressed,  shook  and  '^"Xnld  a  few  bUon,  inegular  notes 
u"  tt  as  possible,  and  sometimes  chanted  ^^^^^  .  -     j         ^    ,  ^ 

in  that  situation  as  1  ^^^  ^"^^  S„ 'thi  greatest  part  of  winter, 
r:  c£S  oti^^vVrr^aS^Vchan/e  in  its  plumage.*    ^ 


•m 


GREAT  AMEUICAN   HIIRIKi;,   OH  BUTCHER  BIRD.  49 


GREAT  AMERICAN   SHRIKE,  OR  BUTCHER  BIRD. 
LANIUS  EXCUIUTOR/  — Fio.  15. 


La 

(id 


I  pio  ffrisclic-grtio,  De  Buffon,  i.  29(5.     PL  etil.  : 
!;(fl._Wliiio  NVhisky  Joliii,  IViU.  Tram.  \\\\.  3550. 


>)^\5.  — Peale'i  Museum,  No. 


Arct.  Zool.  ii.  No.  li7. 


Lanius  borcalin,  Vi-tUl.  —  SoHh.  Zool.  ii.  3. 

The  form  and  countenance  of  this  bird  bespeak  hun  full  of  courage 
and  ener{,'y ;  and  hid  true  character  does  not  bolie  hi.s  appearance,  for 
ho  possesses  those  qualities  in  a  very  eminent  drjrree.  Ho  is  repre- 
sented on  tli(^  plate  rather  Ica  thiiu  his  true  size,;  but  in  just  propor- 
tion, and  with  a  fidelity  that  will  enable  thi;  lOuropean  naturalist  to 
determine,  whether  this  ho  really  the  aiie  -.vitii  tlie  jj^reat  cinereous 
Shrike  (Lunius  exnibitoi;  Linn.)  ui"  the  eastern  continent,  or  not; 
thoujfh  the  progrcs.sive  variableness  ol"  the  plumage,  p;iiriing,  accord- 
ing,' to  aire,  and  sometimes  to  climate,  from  ien-uginous  to  pale  ash, 
and  even  to  a  bluish  white,  renders  it  impo;;Hible  that  tliis  should  bo 
an  exact  rcfirosentation  of  every  individual. 

This  species  is  by  no  means  numerous  in  the  lower  p;u-ts  of  Penn- 
sylvania; though  most  so  during  the  montlis  of  November,  December, 
and  March.  Soon  after  this,  it  retires  to  tJie  north,  and  to  the  higher 
inland  parts  of  the  country  to  breed.  It  frequents  tlie  deepest  forests ; 
builds  a  large  and  cnnpact  nest  in  the  upright  fork  of  a  small  tree ; 
composed  outwardl",  of  dry  grass,  and  whitish  moss,  and  warmly  lined 
within  with  featliers.  The  female  '  lys  six  q^^a,  of  a  pale  cinereous 
color,  tliickly  marked  at  the  greatt  .  end  with  sjxjts  and  streaks  of 
rufous.  She  sits  fifteen  day.^.  The  young  are  produced  early  in 
June,  sometimes  towards  the  latter  end  of  May;  and  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  first  season  are  of  a  brown  ferruginous  color  on 

the  back.  .  ,  ,  .    ,  ,    , 

When  we  compare  the  beak  of  this  species  with  his  legs  and  claws, 

tiplicalion  of  spnriea.  It  will  ranlc  with  the  Baltimore  Bird  in  the  Icterus  of  Brlsson, 
ami  they  will  form  the  only  individuals  l)el^>ll^^^•Jr  to  Ihn  )\orthcrii  ooiilinciit  of 
America.  Accordini?  to  Audubon,  the  flesh  of  the  Or  hard  Oriole  is  cstecmeil  by 
tlie  Creoles  of  Lou  -uma,  and  at  the  season  when  tin  broods  have  collecteil,  and 
feed  most  upon  insccis  in  the  moist  meadows,  they  arc  jirocured  for  die  table  in 
considorablo  abundance. — En. 

*  Wilson  has  marked  this  species  with  a  nolo  of  doubt,  showme;  the  accuracy  of 
his  observation  whore  he  had  such  slender  means  of  making  out  species  ;  a  mistake 
also  into  which  C.  L.  Bonaparte,  with  greater  opportunities,  has  also  fallen.  Vieil- 
lot  seems  to  have  been  the  first  to  distinguish  it,  an  1  Mr.  Swainson  has  satisfactorily 
pointed  out  the  differences,  in  the  Northern  '/.•■>logy.  Laniiis  excubitor  is  not 
roun<l  at  all  in  America,  and  this  species  seems  to  till  wn  its  want ;  the  chief  differ- 
ences are  in  the  size,  Lnnius  horealis  being  larger.  The  female  is  of  a  browner 
shade,  with  more  gray  underneath  ;  the  former  a  distribution  of  color  in  the  females 
unknown  among  those  bearing  similar  shades ;  in  habits  they  in  every  way  agre« 
—  Ed. 

t  Iq  W  Ison's  original  edition. 


I- 


I 


m 


■     ! 


.-»0  QREA  r  AMERICAN  SHRIKR,    .  R  BUTCHER  BIRD. 

they  appear  to  belong  to  two  very  ilift'.Tout  orders  ot;bir,lH;  the  former 
Soarhintr.  in  H-  c.mtbri.mtion.  t,.  th..l  of  tl.o  Acci|..tr,uo;  tho  latter 
to  tljosu  nf  tlio  I'ios;  and,  indeed,  in  \m  food  and  uiunn.  is  he  la  m- 
Bhnilutod  to  boU..  For  thouj-h  nmn  Imn  nrrunKod  iind  Huhdividod  liim 
numerous  cla-s  ofuninmls  into  Hoparato  trib.-s  nn.l  amihos,  yet  nnturo 
has  united  these  to  each  oUior  by  such  nice  frm'l'iti"''H,  and  ho  inti- 
nrnti'ly,  Uiat  it  in  l.nrdly  possible  to  detertnine  wl,ero  one  tr.be  ondn 
rtho  m.  ccodintr  .■  inmenccs.  We  tb.Tet;.re  lind  sev,>n.l  ennnent 
n  a  uliH  c laH  infT  thu.  ^ennn  of  bin!,  u  i,h  the  Aceipitrme,  oth-r. 
w  h  the  Vic  ..  Like  the  former,  lie  prey,  occanonally  on  otJur  birdH ; 
and  like  tli"  latter,  oti  insects,  particularly  frnisshopiHTH,  whicli  I 
believe  to  bo  his  principal  food;  having  at  almost  all  times,  even  ui 
win  cr!  t bund  them  in  his  stomacti.  In  the  month  ot  December  a„d 
vhi  0  to  country  «ns  deeply  covered  with  snow,  I  shot  one  ot  these 
birds  near  te  lead  wate^ol  the  Mohawk  River,  in  the  state  of 
New  York,  the  stomach  of  which  was  entirely  filled  with  large  black 
snidcre  1  le  wmh  of  a  much  purer  white  above,  than  ni.v  1  have  since 
met  witlK  though  evidently  of  the  saiu-  species  with  the  present ; 
ami  I  think  it  probable  that  tl..-  male,  become  lighter  .•ol  red  as  tliey 
advaiice  in  age,  till  the  n.inute  transv.-ree  lines  ot  browr    .n  the  lower 

''Th^r;nniS';::;^has  more  resemblance  to  tUe  Pies  than  to  birds 
of  prey,  particularly  in  the  habit  of  carrying  off  Ins  s.irp  us  loud,  as 
i-  to  lim  r<l  it  for  fulure  exigencies;  with  this  difto^rcnce,  U.at  Crows, 
Jays,  Magpies,  &c.,  conc...l  tl.cirs  at  r.ndom,  ui  holes  and  crevices, 
ilSe  peiiaps,  it  is  forgotten,  or  never  again  le.md;  wl.ile  he 
Bu  ch^r'o  St  cks  his  onlhorns  and  bushes,  where  jt  shnye  s  ,n  the 
«m  and  soon  becomes  e.piallv  useless  to  the  li.mrdcr.  Both  retain 
the  same  liabU s  in  a  slate  of  confinement,  whatever  the  ibod  may  bo 
that  is  nresented  to  them.  ,,  ,  , 

This  habit  of  the  Shrike,  of  seizing  and  impaling  grasshoppers  and 
other  insects  on  thorns,  has  given  rise  to  an  opinion  that  he  places 
H    ir  carcasses  there  by  way  of  baits,  to  allure  small  birds  to  then , 
wh  le  he  himself  lies  in  ambu<h  to  surprise  and  destroy  them.     In 
his  h.  wever  they  appear  to  allow  him  a  greater  portion  ol  reason 
Ltl'c     trlvance  than'^he  seems  entitled  to,  or  than  other  circumstances 
w      alto-ether  warrant;  for  we  find,  that  he  not  only  serves  grass- 
h,    pe      iu  this  manner,  but  even  small  birds  themselves,  as  those 
aU  assured  m.>  who  have  kept  theui  in  cages  m  this  country,  and 
mused  th."mselves  with  their  manceuvres.     If  so,  we  migh    as  w.l 
B      kL  the  farmer  to  be  inviting  Crows  to  h.s  corn  when  he  i.augs 
no  their  carcasses  around  it,  as  the  Butcher  Bird  to  be  decoying  small 
b  rds  by  n  displav  of  the  dead  bodies  ot  their  comrades! 

In  tiic  Tmmndions  of  tht  .fimncan  PlaloHophcal  Smety,  vol.  iv  p. 
l'>4  the  reader  may  tind  a  long  letter  on  tins  subj.;ct  Irom  Mr.  Joiin 
Heckewelder,  of  Bethlehem,  to  Dr.  Barton;  the  substance  ot  which 
3  a'  lbllows:-That  on  the  17th  of  December,  IT'J.'i,  he  Mr.  Ilecke- 
welde-  went  to  visit  a  young  orchard  which  had  been  plunttnl  a  few 
weeks  before,  and  was  surprised  to  observe  on  every  one  "»  he  trees 
one,  and  on  some  two  and  three  grasshoppers,  stuck  down  on  the  ^Im  P, 
thorny  branches  ;  that,  on  in<,uiring  of  h.s  tenant  the  reason  of  this, 
ne  "formed  him  that  they  were  stuck  there  by  a  small  bird  of  prey, 


I    '"' 


GREAT  AMKRICAN  HHRfKE,  OR   HUTCHER  BIRD. 


61 


callt'il  by  the  (ii'rinaim,  A1un/oc<//cr,  (Niiio-killor,)  wliicli  caujrht  imd 
atiick  ninu  |i(riiH.sli(i|)|)frH  a  tiny  ;  iiiul  ho  Mup|)UHe(l  tliut,  ua  tin;  bird  it- 
Kolf  ut)\vr  led  (»ii  jrriiHrtlioitpere,  it,  iiiuxt  do  it  for  |  louHure.  Mr.  Hock- 
owclder  iidw  r'collected,  thitt  one  of  thoHe  Nuio-killorH  liad,  many 
yoorrt  boibrc,  tiikoiiH  fiivoritt.' bird  of  bm  out  of  bis  cage  uttlu;  window  ; 
sinc<!  wbicli,  bo  bud  puul  i)arti(!nbir  attention  to  it;  and  bL'injr  perti  lly 
BHlisHtid  that  it  bved  entirely  on  mice  and  Hniull  birdu,  and,  moreover, 
observing  tlio  grassbopperB  on  the  trecH  uU  fixed  in  natural  positions, 
as  if  ilive,  ho  began  to  conjecture  that  thiH  wan  done  to  decoy  such 
Hniull  birds  uh  ff^cd  on  tiieue  inuectn  to  the  Hpul,  that  be  might  have  un 
opportunity  ot  devouring  them.  "If  it  were  true,"  says  li<',  "that 
thiH  little  hawk  hud  Htuck  them  up  for  biiimelf,  bow  long  would  Jie  be 
in  feeding  on  one  or  two  hundred  gruHsl toppers?  But  if  it  be  in- 
tended to  ueduce  the  Hniiiller  birds  to  feed  on  these  iuuects,  in  order 
to  have  an  opportunity  of  catching  tbeni,  that  number,  or  even  one 
half,  or  less,  may  be  u  good  bait  all  winter,"  tfcc. 

TliiH  is,  indeed,  a  very  prot'^,  ''  icifnl  theory,  and  would  entitle  our 
bird  to  the  (  jiitbet /o<i;/fr,  .trha|ih  I'tli  more  propriety  tliaii  lanius,  or 
butcher;  but,  notwitiiHtur- in;.>  the  a'  ention  which  Mr.  lleckewelder 
profesHcs  to  have  paid  to  dii-  bird,  hv  appears  not  only  to  have  been 
ignorant  that  grussboppei  -tue,  in  lact,  the  favorite  food  of  tiiis 
Nine-killer,  but  never  once  <o  Ixivj  considered,  that  grasshoppers 
would  be  but  a  very  iiwioiii  mi  and  tasteless  bait  for  our  winter 
birds,  which  are  chietiy  tlioae  of  the  Finch  kin<l  that  feed  almost  ex- 
clusively on  bard  seeds  and  gravel;  :j»d  anions  whom  live  hundred 
grasshoppera  might  be  stuck  up  on  trees  and  bushes,  and  remain  tliere 
untouched  by  any  of  them  forever.  Besides,  where  is  his  necessity 
of  having  recourse  to  such  refined  stratagems,  when  be  can,  at  any 
time,  seize  upon  small  birds  by  mere  force  of  flight?  I  have  seen 
hhn,  in  an  open  field,  dart  utter  one  of  our  small  Sparrows  with  the 
rapidity  of  an  arrow,  and  kill  it  almost  instantly.  Mr.  William  Bar- 
tram  long  ago  informed  me,  that  one  of  these  Siirikcs  had  the  temerity 
to  jiursue  a  Snow  Bird  (i'.  Hudsoniu)  into  an  open  cage,  whicli  stood 
in  the  garden ;  and,  before  they  could  arrive  to  its  assistance,  had 
already  strangled  and  scali)e(i  it,  though  he  lost  bis  liberty  by  the  ex- 
ploit. In  short,  I  am  of  opinion,  that  bis  resolution  and  activity  are 
amply  sutficient  to  enable  him  to  procure  tliesi'  small  birds  wbenovei 
he  wants  them,  which,  I  believe,  is  never  but  when  hard  pressed  by 
necessity,  and  a  deficiency  of  liis  favorite  insects;  and  that  the  Crow 
or  the  Blue  Jay  may,  with  the  same  probability,  bo  supposed  to  be 
laying  baits  for  mice  and  flying  squirrels,  wlien  they  arc  hoarding 
their  Indian  corn,  as  he  for  birds,  while  thus  disposing  of  the  exuber- 
ance of  bis  t'avorite  food.  Bntli  the  former  and  the  latter  rel.'iin  the 
BaniP  habits  in  a  state  of  confinement;  the  one  filling  every  seam  and 
chink  of  his  cage  witii  grain,  crumbs  of  bread,  &c.,  and  the  other 
sticking  up,  not  only  insects,  but  flesh,  and  the  bodies  of  such  birds 
as  are  thrown  in  to  Iimh,  on  nails  or  sharpened  sticks  fixed  up  for  the 
purpose.  Nor,  say  ulliers,  is  this  practice  of  the  Siirike  difficult  to  be 
accounted  for.  Nature  has  given  to  this  bird  a  strong,  sharp,  and 
powerful  beak,  a  broad  her;:!,  and  great  strength  in  the  muscles  of  his 
nert;  but  his  logs,  feet,  and  claws  are  by  no  means  proportionably 


!  n 


m 


53  GREAr  A^....UCA.N   SIHUKE,  OK  DUrOHER  BIRD 

Btronp,  and  are  unequal  to  the  task  of  grasping  and  tearing  his  prey 
like  timse  of  the  Owl  and  Falcon  kind.  He,  therefore,  wisely  avails 
himself  of  the  powers  of  tlio  former,  both  in  strangling  his  prey,  and 
in  tearinor  it  to  pieces  while  feeding. 

The  character  of  tlie  Butcher  Bird  is  entitled  to  no  common  degree 
of  respect  His  activity  is  visible  in  all  his  motions ;  his  courage  nn.l 
intrepidity  beyond  every  other  bird  of  his  size,  (one  "tl''^  «J"  t".^.^: 
only  excepted,  L.<i/m7m.«,  or  King  Bird;)  and  in  ««ecton  ^^o  - 
voun-,  lie  is  surpassed  by  no  other.  Ho  associates  with  them  in  the 
latter  part  of  summer,  tlie  whole  family  hunting  in  company  He 
attacks  the  largest  Hawk  or  Eagle  in  their  defence,  with  a  resolut^n 
truly  astonishing;  so  that  all  of  them  respect  lum  and,  on  eve  y 
occasion,  decline  die  contest  As  the  snows  of  winter  approach,  lo 
descends  from  tiie  mountainous  forests,  and  ♦/«'"/  "^  ^.L?.  o^r 
nortii,  to  the  more  cultivated  parts  of  the  country,  hovering  about  our 
hedge-rows,  orcliai-ls,  and  meadows,  and  disappears  again  early  m 

*^  The  Great  American  Shrike  is  ten  inches  in  lengtli,  and  thuteeii 
in  extent    the  ■  ppcr  part  of  the  head,  neck,  and  back,  is  pale  cinere- 
ousfsMe's  of  th^  hea.l  nearly  white,  crossed  with  a  bar  ot  black  Uva 
nasJcs  from  the  nostril,  Uirough  tlie  eye,  to  the  middle  ot  the  iiecU  , 
he  i^iole  under  partB,  in  some  specimens,  are  nearly  white,  in  o  hers 
ore    usVv  and  tJ.iek ly  marked  with  minute  transverse  curving    ines 
tTl     Sow      the  wings  are  black,  tipped  with  white,  with  a  smgle 
sU  of  white  01  tlie  priii^-nes,  just  below  their  covert. ;  the  scapulars, 
Tlo   /dowm'fcatlis  thai  fliU  over  the  upper  part  of  the  w,ng  a 
pure  white  ;  the  rump  and  tail- coverts,  a  very  hno  gray  or  light  ah    , 
lie  tail  is  'cuneiform,  consisting  of  twelve  feathers,  the  two  imdd  c 
nes  wholly  black,  the  others  tipped  more  and  more  with  white  to  the 
So    ones,whicli  are  nearly  all  ^vhite ;  the  legs,  feet,  and  claws 
are  bktckTtle  »'eak  straight,  thick,  of  a  ligiit  blue  color;  the  upper 
nand  ile   uniished  witli  aTsharp  proce.s,  bending  down  greatly  a  the 
St  where  it  is  black,  and  beset  at  tiie  base  wi  h  a  number  of  long 

Ehck   hairs  or  bristles';  the  nostrils  are  ^ ->    ''^  J  J.  ^"J'^f '^^k  k 

recumbent  hairs;  tiie  iris  of  tiie  eye  is  a  light  hazel;  pupil,  black. 

Fi?15wll  iivea  perfect  idea  of  the  bird.    The  feinale  is  easily 

di^ii:^  s  edSv  bei'ng  ferruginous  on  the  back  and  head    "f  having 

e  band  of  black  extending  only  behind  the  eye,  and  ot   a  dirty 

owli  or  burnt  color  ;  the  under  parts  are  also  --«thing  ruh.,^  a  id 

the  curvin-  lines  more  strongly  marked;  she  is  rather    ess  tlian  tlic 

male,  wlii,di  is  different  froni  birds  of  prey  m  general,  the  females  of 

wiiich  are  usually  the  larger  of  the  two.  .      ■     ^  ..  • 

n  liJwrdr-cZo«/oCT,weare  told  that  this  species  is  frequen    ui 

Ru^stbut  does  iiot'^extendto  Siberia;  yet  -« -- Z'^'^-  ^fj^ 
it-l.rinr's  Strait,  on  the  As  atic  side,  in  lat  M)°;  and  the  species 
notify  ex  enS^^^  -hole  continent  of  Nortli  America,  from 

tl  e  Wcstein  ()cean.  Mr.  Bell,  while  on  his  travels  through  Russia, 
mdo"'  of" these  birds  given  him,  which  he  kept  m  a  room,  having 
fked  up  a  sharpened  stick  for  him  in  the  wall ;  and  on  turning  small 
S  iLe  in  the  room,  the  Butcher  Bird  instant  y  caug  i  them  by 
the  throat  in  such  a  manner  ns  soon  to  suftocatc  them,  and  tlien 


PINE  GROSBEAK. 


68 


stuck  tliem  on  the  stick,  pulling  them  on  with  bill  and  claws ;  and  so 
served  as  many  as  were  turned  loose,  one  after  another,  on  the  same 
sticL* 


PINE  GROSBEAK.  — LOXI A.  ENUCLEATOR.  — Fio.  16. 

I.oxia  enuclcator,  Linn.  St/st.  i.  p.  299,  3.  —  l.e  dur  bee,  on  gros  bee  do  Canada, 
Biiffon,  iii.  p.  457.  I'l.  ml.  136,  l.  —  Edw.  12^  lU.  —  Lath.  Syn.  iii.  p.  HI,  5. 
—  Peak's  Museum,  No.  5652. 

CORYTIIUS  FJ^UCr.BiaTOR.  —  CvviEt:  [ 

liOxia  onucleator,  Penn.  Arct.  Zool.  ii.  p.  348.  —  Corylhus  enur.lcator,  Ciw.  Regn. 
Anim.  i.  p.  391.  —  Fhem.  Br.  Zool.  p.  76.  —  Bouvreuil  ilur  l)ec,  Pyrrhiila  enu- 
clcator, Temm..  i.  333.  —  Pino  (Jroshcak,  Pyrrliula  cnucleator,  Sclhij,  Orii.  111.  i. 
256,  pi.  53.  —  Pyrrhula  cnucleator,  lionap.  Sijn.  114. 

This  is  perhaps  one  of  the  gayest  plumagil  land  birds  that  fre- 
quent the  inhospitable  regions  of  the  north,  whence  they  are  driven, 
as  if  with  reluctance,  by  the  rigors  of  winter,  to  visit  Canada  and 
some  of  the  Northern  and  Middle  States  ;  returning  to  Hudson's  Bay 
so  early  as  April.  The  specimen  from  which  our  drawing  was  taken 
v/as  shot  on  a  cedar-tree,  a  fcAv  miles  to  the  north  of  Philadelpliia,  in 
the  month  of  December ;  and  a  faithful  resemblance  of  the  original, 
as  it  then  appeared,  is  exhibited  in  Fig.  10.  A  few  days  afterwards, 
another  bird  of  tlie  same  species  was  killed  not  far  from  Gray's  Ferry, 

*  En  WARDS,  vii.  231. 

t  This  intcreslinjr  species  seems  nowhere  of  common  occurrence ;  it  is  very 
seldom  seen  in  collections  ;  and  boxes  of  skins,  either  from  diflcrent  parts  of  Europe, 
or  America,  can  seldom  rank  the  Pine  Grosbeak  among  their  number ;  the  testimony 
of  all  travellers  in  .\merica,  who  have  attended  to  nature,  correspond  in  their  nc 
counts  ;  rnd  one  of  the  latest,  jMr.  Audubon,  has  mentioned  it  to  mo  as  of  extreme 
scarcity.  In  this  country,  they  seem  to  be  of  equal  rarity,  tliough  they  are  gener- 
ally placed  in  our  list  of  British  birds  without  any  remark.  Pennant  observes, 
Uiirt.  Zool.  ii.  348,)  that  he  has  seen  them  in  the  forests  of  Invercaukl ;  and  Mr. 
Selbv  says,  (Br.  Om.  257,)  that,  from  the  testimony  of  the  gamekeepers,  whom  he 
had  "an  opportunity  of  speaking  with  in  the  Highlands,  they  may  be  ranked  only  as 
occasional  visitants.  I  am  aware,  however,  of  no  instance  of  their  being  killed  in 
this  country.  Pennant  infers,  from  those  which  he  saw  in  the  month  of  August, 
that  they  breed  here.  "Such  a  conclusion,"  Mr.  Selby justly  remarks,  "ought 
scarcely  to  be  inferred  from  this  fact,  as  a  snflicicnl  interval  of  time  had  elapsed 
for  thes'e  individuals  to  have  emigrated  from  Norway,  or  other  northern  countries, 
to  Scotland,  after  incubation,  as  they  are  known  to  breed  as  early  as  May  in  their 
natural  haunts."  I  have  been  unable  to  find  any  trace  whatever  of  their  ever 
breeding  in  this  country  ;  most  of  the  migrating  species  breed  very  early,  and  those 
that  change  their  station  for  the  sake  of  finding  a  breeding  place,  commence  the 
office  of  building,  &c.  immediately  on  their  arrival,  a  necessary  circumstance  to 
enable  the  young  to  perform  their  migration  before  the  change  of  season.  Cuvier 
has  formed  his  genus  CorytliuJ!  of  this  individual,  which  still  remains  the  only  one 
that  has  vet  been  placed  in  it ;  but  I  am  of  opinion,  that  the  Crimson-necked  Bullfinch 
{Pyrrhula  frontiui.^,  Say)  sho\ild  stand  very  near,  or  with  it.  Their  alliance  to  the 
true  Bullfinches  is  very  great,  and  Mr.  Swainson's  genus,  Crithagra,  may  form 
another  near  ally.  —  Eb. 


54 


PINE   (iROSHEAK. 


ii  • 

i' 

i  i .  4 

I: 

four  miles  south  from  Philadelphia,  which  proved  t )  be  a  f^niale.  In 
Ep^rt  of  the  state  of  Pemisylvania,  they  are  rare  birds,  and  seldom 
seen  "s  thevdo  not,  to  ,uy  knowledge,  breed  m  any  part  of  this 
4te  I  am  unable,  from  personal  observation,  to  speak  ot  their  man- 
nor.  or  musical  talents.  Mr.  Pennant  says,  they  sing  on  their  first 
nS^alinTe  country  round  Hudson's  Bay  but  soon  become  s.len  ; 
mile  tl^ir  nest  on  trees,  at  a  small  height  from  the  ground,  ^Mth 
s"Sfs  anT  Une  it  with  feathers.  The  female  lays  four  white  eggs 
which  aie  hatched  in  June.  Forster  observes,  that  they  visi  Hudson  s 
Rnl  on  V  in  Mav  on  their  wav  to  the  north  ;  and  are  not  obsen-ed  to 
f^tL'i'n "he'arininTand  tLt  their  food  consists  of  birchwillow 
buds,  and  others  of  the  same  nature.'^  fourteen 

The  Pine  Grosbeak  measures  nine  inches  in  length,  and  to"rtcen 
inches  in  extent;  the  head,  neck,  breast,  and  rump,  arc  of  a  rich 
cri-i^'n  palest  on  the  breast ;  the  feathers  on  the  middle  of  the  bock 
^e'Sre'd^^h  arrow-shaped  spot,  of  black  and  f  ^ted  wi  h  crim^ 
son  which  oivcs  the  plumage  a  considerable  flush  of  ''ed  there  ,  those 
orthe  Shoulders  are  of  a  deep  slate  color,  partially  skirted  with  red 
and    Ml    ash.     The  greater  wing-coverts  and  next  superiov  ro^^  are 
bntdf  iwel  with  thite,and  slightly  tinged  with  reddi.li ;  wings 
and    ?il  Xck,ed^.odwit^^^  liiiht  brown;   tail,  considerably  lorked ; 
fewer    arot-    he  belly,  ash  color ;  vent-feathers,  skirted  with  w  nte, 
and  slieaked  Suh  black;  legs,  glossy  black;  bill    a  browmsh  horn 
color!  very  thick,  short,  and  hooked  at  the  point ;  the  upper  maml  be 
overlanrring  the  lower  considerably,  approaching  in  its  fonn  to  that 
Tf  the  Parfot ;  base  of  the  bill,  covered  with  recumbent  hairs  ot  a 
dark  brown  color.    Tlie  whole  pluinage,  near  the  roots,  as  m  most 
other  bTrds"  is  of  a  deep  bluish  ash  color.     The  female  was  half  an 
inch  shorteV,  and  ans.^red  nearly  to  the  above  description     on^y 
those  rnrts  that  in  the  male  were  crimson,  were  m  her  of  a  dirt, j 
yellow  Ih  color.    The  female,  according  to  Forster,  referred  to  above 
fias  those  parts  which  in  the  male  are  red,  more  of  an  orange  tmt; 
and  he  censures  Edwards  for  having  represented  the  feniae  of  too 
brgl     a  red.     It  is  possible,  that  "l^  specimen  of  the  female  might 
have  been  a  bird  of  the  first  season,  not  come  to  its  full  colors      1  hose 
f^^ired  bv  Mr.  Edwards  t  were  both  brought  fVon>  Hudson's  Bay,  and 
appear  to  be  the  same  wiUi  the  one  now  before  us,  though  his  coloring 
of  the  female  differs  materially  from  his  description. 

If  this,  as  Mr.  Pennant  asserts,  l.e  tl.e  same  species  with  tha    of 
.he   eastern  continent,  it  would   sc-en.  to  inhabit  alnjo^^h'^  wl>o le 
extent  of  the   arctic  regions.     It  is  Ibmul  in  the  north  of  Scotand 
who  e  Penn.nt  suspects" it  breeds.     It  inhabits  Europe  as  far  north  as 
Dn^leim;       coilon  in  "1'  ^^e  .pme  forests  o    A  su^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
and  the  north  of  Russia;  is  t»ken  in  autumn  ''^^^f  J,fJ'.""'^'.""^. 
brought  to  market  in  great  nmnbers.     It  returns  o  Lapland  m  simng, 
is    found    in   Newfoundland,   and  <m  the   western  coast  of    JNorth 

"^  Were" I  to  reason  from  analogy,  I  would  say  that,  from  the  great 
resemblance  of  this  bird  to  the  Purple  Finch,  {I'nngiHa  pw-jn^rea)  it 
does  not  attain  its  full  plumage  until  tlie  second  summer;  and  i. 

•  PhUosoplncal  Tramactims,  Ixii.  40'2.        t  Edw.  iii.  124.        \  PsJ^saht. 


RUBY-CROWNED  WREN. 


55 


eubiect  to  considerable  change  of  color  in  moultnig,  whicli  may 
have  occasioned  all  the  differences  wo  find  concerning  it  m  dif- 
ferent authors.  But  tills  is  actually  ascertained  to  be  the  case: 
for  Mr  Edwards  saw  two  of  these  birds  alive  in  London,  in  cages; 
the  person  in  whose  custody  they  were,  said  they  came  from 
Norway;  that  they  had  moulted  their  feathers,  and  were  not  after- 
wards so  beautiful  as  they  were  at  first.  One  of  tiiem,  ne  says,  was 
coTored  very  much  like  the  Green  Finch,  (L.c/t/om.)  The  Purple 
Finch,  though  much  smaller,  has  the  rump,  head,  back,  and  breast 
nearly  of  the  same  color  us  the  Pine  Grosbeak,  feeds  ui  the  same 
manner,  on  the  same  food,  and  is  als.>  subject  to  like  changes  ot 

'°sTnce  writing  the  above,  I  have  kept  one  of  these  Pine  Grosbeaks 
a  male,  for  more  than  half  a  year.     In  the  montli  ot  August  t^^tose 
parts  of  the  plumage  which  were  red  became  of  a  greenish  yellow 
Snd  continue  so  still.    In  May  and  June  its  song,  iiough  not  so  loud 
as  some  birds  of  its  size,  was  extremely  clear,  mellow,  and  sweet.     I 
would^warble  out  this  for  a  wiiole  morning  together,  and  acquired 
Teveral  of  the  notes  of  a  Red-Bird  (L.  cardmalis)  that  hung  near  it. 
Itls  exceedingly  tame  and  familiar,  and  when  it  wants  food  or  water, 
utters  a  conSnull  melancholy  and  anxious  note.    It  was  caught  in 
winter  near  the  North  River,  thirty  or  forty  miles  above  New  York. 


RUBY-CROWNED  WREN.- SYLVIA  CALENDVi.      -Fig.  17. 

Le  Roitelet  rubis,  De  Buff.  v.  373.  -.^^'«\^--/-'^''- ®^;i^"^/l''pS 
320.  — Reguluscrislalus  alter  verlice  rubim  colons,  Bartram,  p.  ^JZ.— I'eales 

Museum,  No.  72-14. 

REOULUS  C^LEJ^nULUS.—STEVHEm.* 

Regulus  calendulas,  Stcph.  Coni.  Sh.  ZooL  vol.  x.  p.  I60.-Bonap.  Synop.  91. 

This  little  bird  visits  us  early  in  the  spring,  from  the  south,  and  is 
generally  first  found  among  the  maple  blosson>s,  about  the  beguining 
of  Aprih  These  failing,  it  has  recourse  to  those  of  tlr:  poach,  apple, 
ami  other  fruit-trees,  partly  for  the  tops  of  th(^  swe  t  and  slender 
s"ami"  a  of  Se  fiowe'rs"  anfl  partly  for  the  winged  insect,  that  hover 
am  mg  them.  In  the  middle  of  summer,  I  have  rarely  met  with  these 
birds  in  Pennsylvania;  and  as  thoy  penetrate  as  tar  north  as  t^^.e 
countrv  round  Hudson's  Bay,  and  also  breed  there,  it  accounts  tor 
tS  lite  arrival  here,  in  falh  They  then  associate  with  tne  different 
species  of  Titmouse,  and  the  Golden-crested  Wren ;  and  are  particu- 
a?ly  numerous  in  th^  month  of  October,  and  beginning  f  November 
in  orchards,  among  the  decaying  leaves  of  the  apple-trees,  that  at 

*  Sec  note  to  ReguLus  cristaim. 


!  -l}' 


56 


RUBY-CROWNED  WREN. 


;:i 


that  season  aro  infested  with  great  nun.  ers  o  - 1> -^ -"g^ 
insect.,  among  which  tl^yrnuk.groaha^^c^^^  .iyihe  ^0^  o'f  Buch 
the  painful  necessity  onois^^^^a^^^  ^^l^  ^  n,,rc  perfect 

jnoflensivo,  ,u.eM    "^"^^/f g'.l^,  p^r  so  husy,  so  active,  and 

knowledge  ot  the^^P''^^'^'',earchin^  about  the  same  twig,  even 
unsuspecting,  as  to  ,,^""  ;"'  ^.'^j^^Xuawn  beside  them.  They  are 
after  their  couipanion:  have  '^^"\!^^°\"';  ^e  owin<r  to  the  great 
more  remnrUably  so  in  nu^^^^  ^;^  ^,^„  ,.,^„„^. 

number  f  y«""S  "^  "  ,  jf/j;^"^,^"i  Z^e  stood  under  the  tree,  ,no- 
Uiem  ;  and  fcquen  ly,  a  ^;:.  '^  ,-;"'.  ^.^^ed  among  the  low  branches 
t  onless,  to  observe  the.,(,  v  tiii^  in^y  „  «  extremely 

sometimes  within  a  foci  rr  ^'J^J'J  '^"^.'ies  a ^^^M^^^^^  visit 

top  „r  a  hish  m»ple,  "°  Ij'lf  J,''^,'"    't.'toj,  and  ri.  in  cxt-nt; 

Srst  row  of  wn.g-covcrts,  edged  and  tW^'^^^  '  .^^  j,,,,,,,  Uieir 
of  deep  purplish  brown  a  r  .  the  Xan  ibni^  lateral  spot  of 
coverts;  the  hind  ' ''^^'^ '' ,7,^"\,"  *1^^^^  phumge  ;  round  tiie  eye,  a 
vermilion  usually  ..no.   lu  -,J '>"  ^^    ^^  tl.e  same  tint;  legs, 

ringof  yellowish  ulate,^.   ok  un  er^l    ^,,     ^^^^^^^^^^  straight,   not 

dark  brown;  leel  and  f^^';.^^^-'J'';;  ,  ■'  ...  the  base ;  ins  de  of  the 
notched,  furnished  with  a    cw  bkcl.  hair.  ^t    ^e  .a     ,^        ^^^^^^  ^^^^ 

mouth,  orange,  ^l'"  ^^'''-^^f.  if^'^,  J^^.e  fod  somJwhattess.  Not- 
male,  the  colors  being  Ic.s  '^ely,  a m  th.  i^a  ^  discover 

withstandmg  my  utmost  <^"J-'^"  I'  , /;\',^,/e'e  «f  having  founc.  them 
their  nest;  th<.ugl^  frem  the  f^  ••  '^J^^^f^^^^^  ^,,,t  tlu:- occasionally 
Eometimcs  liere  m  .ummcr  ''"'  P",^''  T^ds  no  larger  than  this, 
breed  in  Pennsylvania;  but  I  k''";^J«\.*^.  ;^^  td  es't  tre4  in  the  woo.ls 
that  usually  build  on  the  c^trem. -es  «  .^h^  f^^^^^f,^-  J  leaves  are 
.vhich  I  '^--.trrl  re  o"  e'  iSr"!ituations^  and  .should 
out;  many  others,  no  clouui,  *-""""  ..-kj  ^vith  lonven,  it  s  no 
the;  delay  building  ""td  the  woods  are  t^»-k.^"U  -'  l^^^^,,,,^,  .  ^.^,  „, 
easy  niatter  to  discover  them     I"  ^^ 'j  ^«J  „^„^  ,he,„;  owing  to 

r^eal  IStc^TtTei?  favSe  W^  at  tlfat  time. 


SHORE^LAUK.  67 


SHORE-LARK.  — ALAUD A  ALPESTRIS.  — Fio.  18. 

Alauda  alpesiris,  Linn.  Syst.  289.  —  Lath.  Synop.  ii.  386.  —  Peale's  Museum,  No. 
6190.  — Alauda  catnpestris,  giitture  flavo,  Bartram,  p.  290.  —  L'Alouette  de 
Virginia,  De  Buff.  v.  65.  —  Catesb.  i.  32. 

ALAUDA  ALFESTRIS.  —  UnjfjEvs, 

Alauda  alpestris  alouette  k  Hause  col  noir,  Temm.  i.  279.  —  Bonap.  Synop.  102. 
—  Vieill.  Gal.  des  Ois.  jt\.  155,  p.  256. — Alauda  cornuta,  Sworin.  Synop. — 
Birds  o/Me.vico,  Phil.  Mag.  ^  Ami.  1827,  p.  'iM.  — North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  24.5. 

This  is  the  most  beautiful  of  its  genus,  at  least  in  this  part  of  the 
world.  It  is  one  of  our  winter  birds  of  passage,  arriving  from  tiie 
north  in  the  fall ;  usually  staying  with  us  the  whole  winter,  frequent- 
ing sandy  plains  and  open  downs,  and  is  numerous  in  the  Southern 
States,  as  iar  as  Georgia,  during  that  season.  They  fly  high,  in  loose, 
scattered  flocks ;  and  at  these  times  have  a  single  cry,  almost  exactly 
like  the  Sky-Lark  of*  Britain.  They  are  very  numerous  in  many 
tracts  of  New  Jersey,  and  are  frequently  brought  to  Philadelphia 
market  They  are  then  generally  very  fat,  and  are  considered  excel- 
lent eating.  Their  food  seems  principally  to  consist  of  small,  round, 
compressed,  black  seeds,  buckwheat,  oats,  &c.,  with  a  large  proportion 
of  gravel.  On  the  flat  commons,  within  the  boundaries  of  the  city 
of  Philadelphia,  flocks  of  them  are  regularly  seen  during  the  whole 
wintrr.  In  the  stomach  of  these  I  have  found,  in  numerous  instances, 
quantities  of  the  eggs  or  larvse  of  certain  insects,  mixed  with  a  kind 
of  slimy  earth.  About  the  middle  of  March  they  generally  disappear, 
on  their  route  to  the  north.*  Forster  informs  us  that  they  visit  the 
environs  of  Albany  Fort  in  the  beginning  of  May,  but  go  farther 
north  to  breed  ;  that  they  feed  on  grass  seeds  and  buds  of  the  sprig 
birch,  and  run  into  small  holes,  keeping  close  to  the  ground,  from 
whence  the  natives  call  them  Chi-chtw-pi-sue.]  This  same  species 
appears  also  to  ba  found  in  Poland,  Russia,  and  Siberia,  iii  winter, 
from  whence  they  also  retire  farther  north  on  the  approach  of  spring ; 
except  in  the  north-east  parts,  and  near  the  high  mountains.| 

The  length  of  this  bird  is  seven  inches,  the  extent  twelve  inches  ; 
the  forehead,  throat,  sides  of  the  neck,  and  hne  over  the  eye,  are  of  a 
delicate  straw,  or  Naples  yellow,  elegantly  relieved  by  a  bar  of  black, 

**  In  winter,  s&ys  Pennant,  they  retire  to  the  southern  provinces  iii  great  flights  ; 
but  it  is  only  by  severe  weatner  tnat  they  reach  Virginia  and  Carolina.  Tliey  fre 
quent  sand  hills  on  the  sea  shore,  and  feed  on  the  sea-side  oats,  or  Uniola  paniculata. 
'rhcy  have  a  single  note,  like  the  Sky-I,ark  in  winter.  —  Teinminck  mentions  them 
as  birds  of  passage  in  Germany,  and  that  they  breed  also  in  Asia.  One  or  two 
specimens  have  lately  been  killed  in  England,  so  that  their  geographic  range  is 
pretty  considerable.    The   Alauda  calandra  of  Linnseus  is  introduced  into  the 


Northern  Zoology,  as  an  inhabitant  of  the  Fur  countries,  on  ihe  authority  of  a 

e  Briti  '  "" 
country.  —  Ed. 


specimen  in  the' British  Museum,  and  will  stand  as  the  second  Lark  found  in  that 


t  Philosophical  Transactions,  vol.  Ixii.  p.  398. 
{  Arctic  Zoology. 


66 


SUOKE-LARK. 


that  passes  fVo.  the  nostril^  thc3  0,e^bdoww,nch^ 
»o  thi  depth  of  three  quare^  «*  ^»  '"^J  !  f  ^,^1  ^  length,  -ilh  black, 
and  over  the  eye  >«  ^.^adod  w.thu,  for^its^  ^^^^^^J.  ^^,.^,,  ^^      , 
which  covers  part  ot  tk  crown  ,  m  ^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^  ^^^.^    j  ^lack, 

fan-shaped  patch  otblaK,Uus  as  we^i  ^^^^^  ^^  ^j  ,  ^^^^j^^ 

are  marked  ^'*  """"l'^'^"  h^L  drab  tm.red  with  lake ;  l-sser  wine- 
au.l  towards  the  ^^ou^e  ;.'.  •^''f^^^^^'^j^^^^^^^  the  san.e,  intmorTy 

coverts,  bri-ht  «Jn".T°^^fil!.hLk  ami  win^.  drab  co'ored,  tinged 
dusky,  and  tipped  w'th^v  iut^sh;  back  ana  ^^^^^^  ^^  I,,     k 

with  reddish,  each  feather  ^f  J^^/X  t  S  and  odg.d  with  whitish ; 
down  its  centre ;  primaries,  ^'^K^^^J ,  t     ea     ^      ,  ^^.^  ^. ^^^^ 

exterior  feaUiers,  most  so  5 /- ^  •  ™"f  V,,*^^^^^  ftie  two  middle  leathers, 
and  scolloped  at  the  tips;  ''"^.^n  .'or  t'.^co  •  rts.  av-:  reddish  drub, 
which  by  some  have  beea  ""^^"^  f  <*;\,V,.  oros  ov  each  side,  exte- 
centrod  witii  br<  ■nish  black      he  two  oule.o  ^^^^  _^^^  ^  ^^ 

riorly  edged  wit.  ^v^nte;  f^r^'^:^;J.;ot"ay  and  vent,  whit.;  suies, 
wiM.  -:pt£  or  stn'uksot  the  bame,  I  J       miKlJike,  sii;=  seven 

inch.v8,^^  of  .  /^"l^LlHd  vorvlon",  and  almost  straight;  ins  of 
and  cUv-.sbuu:1«'Juudhcel,voTy  ioi.„,  ^^^^^^  ^^^^^  ^han 

a  dirty  tinge.  .    .,  ; ,  u;_,i  which  i  Imve  never  seen 

Sre  ila  singular,  appearance  m  thu.  bird,JJ^^iJ;^^^^^        feathers, 

t«ken  notice  ot-  by  *7>,7j;;^r^e7o;d  eSoth^  the  eye- 

which  extend,  by  equal  ^'^^^""^^JJl^^  ^f  a  diiferent  texture  from 
brow;  these  are  longer,  more  pomted,dnuoi  ^^  of  erecting 

the  r^st  around  them;  and  the  bid  posstBscs    n    p    ^^.^^^    ^^^.^^ 
them,soastoappearasifmrnod  Ike  some ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^ 

kept 'one  of  these  ^'''^'^l^llV^^^i^Xr^Ssh  a  very  suitable  spe- 
this  odd  appearance,  and  tl""!;^  it  ^i^ht  i  ^^^^^^    ^  ^ 

L/A^^^^TS^S^^Uy  of  the  united 
States. 


MARYLAND  YELLOW-THROAT. 


60 


MARYLAND  YELLOW-THROAT.  —  SYLVIA 
MARILANDICA.  — Fig,  19. 

Tardus  trichas,  Linn.  Syst.  i.  293.  —  Erfio.  237.  —  Yellow-breasled  Warbler,  Aret. 
Zool.  ii.  No.  283.  Id.  284.  — Le  Figuior  aux  joucs  iioire.s,  De  Buff.  v.  292.  — La 
Fauvetle  a  poilrine  jauiie  de  la  Louisiane,  livff.  v.  162.  PL  eid.  709,  fig.  2.— 
Lath.  Syn.  iv.  433,  32.  — Pco/e's  Museum,  No.  G902. 

TRICIIUS  PEiJSOJWjrt/S.  — SwAiNsoN.* 

Trichas  personatus,  Swain.  Zool.  Joum.  No.  10,  p.  167.  —  The  Yellow-breasted 
Warbler,  or  Maryland  Yellow-Throat,  Aud.  i.  pi.  2:5,  p.  121. 

This  is  one  of  the  humble  inhabitants  of  briers,  brambles,  alder 
bushes,  and  such  shrubbery  us  grows  most  luxuriantly  in  low,  watery 
situations;  and  might  with  propriety  be  denominated  Humility,  its 
business  or  ambition  seldom  loading  it  higher  than  the  tops  o'"  the  un- 
derwood. Insects  and  their  larvce  are  its  usual  food.  It  dives  inio  the 
deepest  of  the  thicket,  rambles  among  the  roots,  searches  round  the 
stems,  examines  both  sides  of  the  leatf  raising  itself  on  its  legs,  so  as  to 
peep  into  every  crevice  ;  amusing  itself  at  times  with  a  very  siniple, 
and  not  disagreeable,  song  or  twitter,  ichUilitee,  whltititee,  ivhUititee  ; 
pausing  for  h;ilf  a  minute  or  so,  and  then  repeating  its  notes  as  before. 
It  inhabits  the  whole  United  States  from  Maine  to  Florida,  and  also 
Louisiana  ;  and  is  particularly  numerous  in  the  low,  swampy  thickets 
of  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  Jersey.  It  is  by  no  means  shy; 
but  seems  deliberate  and  unsuspicious,  as  if  the  places  it  frequented, 
or  its  own  diminutiveness,  were  its  sufficient  security.  It  otlen  visits 
tlie  fields  of  growing  rye,  wheat,  barley,  &c.,  and  no  doubt  performs 
the  part  of  a  friend  to  the  farmer,  in  ridding  the  stalks  of  vermin,  that 
might  otherwise  lay  waste  his  fields.  It  seldom  approaches  the  farm- 
house, or  city ;  but  lives  in  obscurity  and  peace,  amidst  its  favorite 

*  Mr.  Swainson  has  formed  from  this  species  his  gcims  Trichas,  and  bestowed 
upon  it  the  new  and  appropriate  name  of  personatus,  or  tnasked ;  Alarilandica  of 
Hrisson  and  Wilson  could  scarcely  be  retained,  Trichas  of  Linnffius  haying  the 
priority.  The  latter  is  now  converted  into  a  generic  term  ;  and  as  the  species  does 
not  seem  entirely  confined  to  Maryland,  another  and  more  appropriate  than  either 
will  perhaps  make  less  confusion  than  the  attempts  to  restore  some  old  one.  Mr. 
Swainson  makes  the  following  remarks  upon  the  genus  ; — "  This  t'orm  is  intimately 
comiected  with  Si/nalaxis,  and  two  or  three  other  groups  peculiar  to  Africa  and 
Australia.  Feebleness  of  flight  and  strength  of  foot  separate  lliose  birds  from  the 
typical  genera;  while  the  strength  and  curvature  of  the  hind  claw  forbid  us  to  as- 
sociate tliem  with  the  true  Motacillw." 

The  female  is  figured  on  No.  86,  of  this  volume,  where  it  is  mnUioned  as  one  of 
the  birds  whose  nest  the  Cow  Bunting  selects  to  deposit  her  eggs  in.  "The  nest," 
acconUng  to  Mr.  Audubon,  "  is  placed  on  the  ground,  an<l  partly  sunk  in  it :  it  is 
now  and  then  covered  over  in  the  form  of  an  oven,  from  which  circumstance,  chil- 
dren name  this  warbler  the  Oven-bird.  It  is  composed  externally  of  withered 
leaves  and  grass,  and  is  luietl  with  hair.  The  eggs  are  from  four  to  six,  of  a  white 
color,  siMJckled  with  light  brown,  and  are  deposited  aliout  the  middle  of  May. 
Sometimes  two  broods  are  reared  in  a  season.  I  have  never  observed  the  egg  of 
the  Cow  Bunting  in  the  nests  of  the  second  brood." 

The  male  birds  do  not  attain  their  full  plumage  until  the  second  spring.  — £d. 


»,:',' 


it 


li 


eo 


YELLOW-BREASTED  CHAT. 


thickets.  It  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  about  the  midd  e,  or  last  week,  of 
April,  and  begins  to  build  its  nest  about  the  middle  ot  May:  Uus  is 
fixed  on  the  ground,  among  the  dried  leaves,  m  the  very  depUi  of  a 
thicket  of  briers,  sometimes  arched  over,  and  a  small  hole  letl  tor  en- 
trance :  the  materials  are  dry  leaves  and  fine  grass,  lined  with  coarse 
hair:  the  eggs  are  five,  white  or  semi-transparent  marked  with 
specks  of  reddish  brown.  The  y  :ung  leave  the  nest  about  the  i2d  of 
June ;  and  a  second  brood  is  oRen  raised  in  the  same  season,  barly 
in  September  they  leave  us,  returning  to  the  south. 

This  pretty  little  species  is  four  inches  and  three  quarters  long,  and 
six  inches  and  a  quarter  in  extent ;  back,  wings,  and  tail,  green  olive, 
which  also  covers  the  upper  part  of  the  neck,  But  approaches  to  cine- 
reous  on  the  crown ;  the  eyes  arc  inserted  in  a  band  of  black,  which 
passes  from  tlie  front,  on  both  sides,  reaching  half  way  down  the  neck , 
this  is  bounded  above  by  another  band  of  white,  deepemng  into  light 
blue;  throat,  breast,  and  vent,  brilliant  yellow  ;  belly,  a  fainter  tinge 
of  the  same  color;   inside  coverts  of  the  wings,   also  yellow ;  tips 
and  inner  vanes  of  the  wings,  dusky  brown;  tail,  cuneiform,  dusky, 
edged  with  olive  green ;    bill,  black,  straight,  slender,  ot    the  true 
MotadUa  form,  though  the  bird  itself  was  considered  as  a  species  ot 
Thrush  by  Linnffius,  but  very  properly  removed  to  the  genus  Mota- 
dUa  by  Gmelin;  legs,   flesh  colored;   iris  of  the  eye,  dark  hazel. 
The  female  wants  the  black  band  through  the  eye,  has  the  bill  brown, 
and  the  throat  of  a  much  paler  yellow.    This  last,  I  have  good  reason 
to  suspect,  has  been  described  by  Europeans  as  a  separate  species; 
and  tiiat  from  Louisiana,  referred  to  in  the  synonymes,  appears  evidenUy 
the  same  as  the  former,  the  chief  difference,  according  to  Buffon,  be- 
ins  in  its  wedged  tail,  which  is  likewise  the  true  form  ot  our  own 
species;   so  Uiat  this  error  corrected  will  abridge  the  European 
nomenclature  of  two  species.    Many  more  examples  ot  this  kind  wUl 
occur  in  the  course  of  our  descriptions. 


YELLOW-BREASTED  CHAT-^-PIfRA  POLYGLOTTA.- 

FiG.  20. 

Muscicapa  viridis,  Gmel.  Syst.  i.  93G  --Le  Merle  vert  de  la  Caroline,  Buf^>g- 
396.  -!.  Chattering  Flycatcher,  Arct.  Zool.  n.  No  266.  —  Laih.Synop.  m.  JOU, «. 
—  Garrulus  australis,  Bartram,  Z90.  — Peak's  Museum,  No.  6661. 

ICTF.RIA   VIRlDIi.  —  hotikrkKTK. 

Icleria  dumicola,   VieiU.  Oal.  des  Ois.  pi.  86,  p.  I19.-Icteria  riridig,  Bomp. 

8ynop.  p.  69. 

This  is  a  very  singular  bird.    In  its  voice  and  manners,  and  the 
habit  it  has  of  keeping  concealed,  while  shifting  and  vociferating  around 

•  Tl  c  Prince  of  Musignano  remarks,  when  speaking  of  this  bird,  in  h:s  excellent 
ubscr  j3^ons  on  the  irvmcnetaiurz  vj   rr,t~,v,.  ,  •-. — "..-ay,     --  i=  -     - 


YELLOW-tREASTED   CHAT. 


9k 


Jrou,  it  differs  from  most  other  birds  with  which  I  am  acquainted,  and 
las  considerable  claims  to  originality  of  character.  It  arrives  in 
Pennsylvania  about  the  first  week  in  May,  and  returns  to  the  south 
again  as  soon  as  its  young  are  able  for  the  journey,  which  is  usually 
about  the  middle  of  August;  its  term  of  residence  here  being  scarcely 
four  months.  The  males  generally  arrive  several  days  before  the 
females  —  a  circumstance  common  with  many  other  of  our  birds  of 
passaife. 

When  lie  has  once  taken  up  his  residence  in  a  favorite  situation, 
which  is  almost  always  in  close  thickets  of  hazel,  brambles,  vines, 
and  thick  underwood,  he  becomes  very  jealous  of  his  possessions, 
and  seems  offended  at  the  least  intrusion ;  scolding  every  passenger 
as  soon  as  they  come  within  view,  in  a  great  variety  of  odd  and  un- 
coutli  monosyllables,  which  it  is  difficult  to  describe,  but  which  may 
be  readily  imitated,  so  as  to  deceive  the  bird  himself,  and  draw  him 
after  you  for  half  a  quarter  of  a  mile  at  a  time,  as  I  have  sometimes 
amused  myself  in  doing,  and  frequently  without  once  seeing  him. 
On  these  occasions,  his  responses  are  constant  and  rapid,  strongly 
expressive  of  anger  and  anxiety  ;  and  while  the  bird  itself  remains 
unseen,  the  voice  shifts  from  place  to  place,  among  tlie  bushes,  as  if 
it  proceeded  from  a  spirit  First  is  heard  a  repetition  of  short  notes, 
resembling  the  whistling  of  the  wings  of  a  Duck  or  Teal,  beginning 
loud  and  rapid,  and  falling  lower  and  slower,  till  they  end  in  detached 
notes ;  then  a  succession  of  otliers,  something  like  the  barking  of 
young  puppies,  is  followed  by  a  variety  of  hollow,  guttural  sounds, 
each  eight  or  ten  times  repeated,  more  like  those  proceeding  from  the 
throat  of  a  quadruped  than  that  of  a  bird ;  which  are  succeeded  by 
others  not  unlike  the  mewing  of  a  cat,  but  considerably  hoarser.  All 
these  are  uttered  with  great  vehemence,  in  such  different  keys,  and 
witli  such  peculiar  modulations  of  voice,  as  sometimes  to  seem  at  a 
considerable  distance,  and  instantly  as  if  just  beside  you ;  now  on 
this  hand,  now  on  that ;  so  that,  from  these  manoeuvres  of  ventrilo- 
quism, you  are  utterly  at  a  loss  to  ascertain  from  what  particular  spot 
or  quarter  they  proceed.  If  the  weather  be  mild  and  serene,  with 
clear  moonlight,  he  continues  gabbling  in  the  same  strange  dialect, 
with  very  little  intermission,  during  the  whole  night,  as  if  disputing 
with  liis  own  echoes;  but  probably  with  a  design  of  inviting  the 
passing  females  to  his  retreat;  for,  when  the  season  is  further  ad- 
vanced, tliey  are  seldom  heard  during  the  night. 

About  the  middle  of  May  they  begin  to  build.  Their  nest  ia 
usually  fixed  in  the  upper  part  of  a  bramble  bush,  in  an  almost  im- 
penetrable tliicket ;  sometimes  in  a  tliick  vine  or  small  cedar;  seldom 
more  than  four  or  five  feet  from  the  ground.    It  is  composed  out- 


inarkal)ln,  tliiii  Wilson  should  liavo  introduced  this  m-nus  in  his  Oitiithology. 
bird  lie  placed  in  it  has  certainly  no  relation  to  the  Manakins,  lor  has  any  oi 


The 
one  of 
that  genus  been  found  within  tho  Unitcil  States.  This  bird  nas  been  placed  by 
authors  in  half  a  dozen  difToront  goncra.  It  was  arranged  in  Muscicapa,  by  Gmelin, 
Latham,  and  Pennant ;  in  Tardus,  by  Brisson  and  ifutron ;  in  Ampelis,  by  Sparr- 
inan  ;  and  in  Tunagni,  by  Desmarest.  I  was  at  first  inclined  to  consider  it  as  a 
Vireo ;  but,  after  having  dwelt  more  upon  the  characters  and  habits  of  this  remark- 
able species,  1  iiave  concluded  to  adopt  Icteria  as  an  indepeudciit  genus,  agreeably 
to  Vieillot." — Ed. 

6 


)! 


1 1 


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I ,    I 

.1  '  . 

Ill         < 

i 


,11 


02  YELI.OW-BREASTEI>  CHAT. 

grape-vinoB  and    ho  inside        "  ™^,%  Heah  colored,  and 

gne,drygra8«.     Ihe^,     M    'Tj;own  or  dullrei     Tho  ynung  are 
speckled  all  ov(  „,>ke  their  first  .-xcursion  from  the  noBt 

hatched  in  (v-  •  -"^  ,     ^.     j       ^^  anmtcMir  in 

about  tlie  8.H.n.i  ■  •■  •:  %  f  "fp.  ^^ ;^^"«^  ndcr  a  hen  O^^^^^^ 

his  passions.  „  fl,^f  f,m,rpd  the  Ycllow-breasted  Chat; 

Mr  flatpsbv  seems  to  have  hrst  tiijurcu  uit-  iiuu 

peatod  attenipta  to  shoot  olio  of  ''""•;;\'°' ,    ',„    ^  cn.p  oy  an 
his  iiiTPnuity.     Catesby  also  observed  its  dancii  ?  mana 

s^;ii:r^;-Se"-t'i2;y'srri^LrJ'. -'ji- 

ticularly  observed.  „ ,         ,  ■     ^^  beeth;H,  and 

in  their  stoiniM-h,  in  ?reat  quantities  as  wu  as  pi„i,:,lcl- 

will  be  perceived  how  mu'      hii        an  naiurmieto 

•  Vi,-;!Ua  n,o.iit,.c  ,i,o  fruit  of  ilic  Svlanum  CaroUnense  as  .  ,  ticular  luvori.. 
ofUiis  bird. —  El). 


SUMMER 


-BIRD. 


63 


classing  this  bird.  That  the  judicious  Mr.  Pennant,  Gmelin,  and  even 
Dr.  LaUiam,  however,  Hhould  have;  arrantrod  it  witii  the  Flycatchcru, 
is  certainly  very  oxtraordinary ;  aw  muther  in  tlie  particular  structure 
of  its  bill,  icjiigue,  feet,  nor  in  its  food  or  manners,  has  it  any  affinity 
whatever  to  that  genus.  Some  other  ornithologists  have  removed  it 
to  tho  Tanagcrs ;  but  tlio  bill  of  tlio  Chut,  when  compared  witli  tliut 
of  the  Summer  Red-Bird,  (Fig.  '21,)  bosi^aks  it  at  once  to  bo  of  a  dit- 
feront  tribe.  Uesidos,  the  Tanagcrs  seldom  lay  more  than  two  or  three 
eggs ;  the  Chat  usually  four :  tin-  former  build  on  trees  ;  tlie  latter  in 
low  thickets.  In  short,  though  this  bird  will  not  exactly  correspond 
with  any  known  genus,  yet  tho  form  of  its  bill,  ita  food,  and  many  of 
its  habits,  would  almost  justify  us  in  classing  it  with  tlie  genus  Ptpra, 
(Manakin,)  to  which  family  it  seems  most  nearly  related. 

The  Yellow-breasted  Chat  is  seven  inches  long,  and  nine  inches  in 
extent ;  the  whole  upper  parts  are  of  a  ricii  and  deep  olive  green, 
except  the  tips  of  the  wings  and  interior  vanes  of  the  wing  and  tail- 
feathers,  whicli  are  dusky  brown ;  the  whole  throat  and  breast  is  of  a 
most  brilliant  yellow,  which  also  lines  the  inside  of  the  wings,  and 
spreads  on  tlio  sides  i  nnediat-ely  below ;  the  belly  and  vent  are  white  ; 
tho  front,  slate  colored,  or  dull  cinereous ;  lores,  black ;  from  the 
nostril,  a  line  of  white  exti  to  tlie  upper  part  oi"  tlie  eye,  which  it 
nearly  encircles ;  another  spot  of  white  is  placed  at  tlie  base  of  the 
lower  mandible ;  the  bill  is  strong,  slightly  curved,  sharply  ridged  on 
the  t"P,  compressed,  overhanging  a  Tittle  at  the  tip,  not  notched, 
pointed,  and  altogether  black ;  the  tongue  is  tapering,  more  fleshy 
than  those  of  tlie  Muscicaua  tribe,  and  a  little  lacerated  at  the  tip ; 
the  nostril  is  o\  .il,  and  halt  covered  with  an  arching  membrane ;  legs 
and  feet,  light  blue,  hind  claw  ratlier  the  strongest,  the  two  exterior 
toes  united  to  the  second  joint. 

Tl  0  female  may  be  distinguished  from  tlie  male  by  tlie  black  and 
liii     adjoining  the  eye  being  less  intense  or  pure  tJian  in  tlie  male, 
ui'  lii  having  the  inside  of  the  moutli  of  a  dirty  flesh-color,  which,  in 
the  male,  is  black ;  in  other  respects,  tlieir  plumage  is  nearly  alike. 


SUM3 


RED-BIRD.  —  TANAGRA  ESTIVA.  —  Fioa.  21,  22. 


Tanagra  Mississippensis,  Lath.  Ind.  Om.  i.  421,  5.  — Mexican  Tanager,  Lath. 
SijHop.  iii.  219,6.  B.  —  Tanagra variegala, /nrf.  Om.i.421,6.  —  Taiiagran-stiva, 
Jnd.  Om.  i.  422,  7.  — Muscicapa  rubra,  Linn.  Syst.  i.  326,  S.  —  BuJ.  -'^  ')2. 
PI.  eiil  741. —  Catesby.  ^^"r.  i.  6(5. — Merula  flammula,  Saiiflhill  Reti-liiru, 
BaHram,  299.  —  Peale's        '^eum,  No.  6134. 

prRji\<  1  .«:sr/K.«.— ViKiLLOT. 

Subgenus  Pyrang;.  '   I'anagra  estiva,  Bon<'\  Synop.  p.  106. 

The  change  <'c<'X."  which    nis  bird  is  subject  to  during  the  first 
year,  and  the  imperfect  figur    first  given  of  i*  'ly  Catesby,  ha>    de- 

*  Pyruvn  has  been  used  li)  .  .ciliot  to  designate  a  gi-up  among  the  Tanage^-s, 
having  til'       i  of  considerable  strength,  and  furnished  on  ihe  upper  man''ibje  with 


I 


W 


Bird.    A«  the  female  .l.tlcrs  b     u    r     m  col       ^.^__^^^^  ^^^.^^^^ 

been  thouRht  proper  to  r^'*'   ^^^''^^^^^^  publication ;  and  all  the 
to  my  knowlcdKCNappcared  m  any  tor.  _  ^^^^^^^ 

-e^male  of  the  S— r  ^f^^^l^^^f^:^ 

milion  color,  most  bnlliant  on  ^"^^^"^  ,  '^ "   own  ;  the  bill  i8  dmpro- 
SdtipBofthewing«,whichareofa.lu.ky  b^^^  ^.^^^.^^^^^  ^,^,^ 

p,>rtu>irably  large,  and  .nflued,1^ej'P^^^^^^^^^  ^^,^^  .  ^      ,  a 

pro.    rts,  and  tiie  whole  bill  ot  a  ye  no  ^^       ^j^^  ^^.^^  ^f  ^ 

?eet  ar^  1'?''^ /lue,  mclmmg  to      ^^j^jf^  J,  ^evon  inches  and  a 
light  hazel  color ;  the  Icn^nh  ot  th^   wn  ,  ^^^^^^^  ^     j^^^^ 

qSarter ;  and  between  the  t.p«  of  ^^"^^^^^^^  the  male ;  bvit  i«,  above, 
^he  female  (Fig.  y^^)  ^^  ^^^J^^  Zlrle  eye  ;  throat,  breast,  and 
ofabrowniH^.  yellow  ""^ y-^' ^'f  ^J^  ^       ..range  yellow;  tips  and  in- 
whole  lower  part  ot  the  body,  ot  an  ^,     j  .^  ^j^^  ^^^^^ 
Terior  vanes  of  the  -uigs  brown    ^^^J^^^^  ;;;;ltl,  'branch  of  a  half- 
The  nest  is  built  in  the  ^oods,  on  in                          ^^  ^^^^j^^  ^^^^ 
irown  tree,  ot^on  an  ^^f ;;;  ^^  «    ^  «ken  stalks  of  dry  flax. 
Prom  Uie  ground;  ^oinposed,  ontwarU  y,               Hj^i.t.blue  eggs ;    he 
and  lined  witiihne  grass    t le  funa  e  ia>             „„|i  suspect  tliat  Uie 
young  are  produced  about  the  mul.Uo  o^  J  u      ,            ^^^  ^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^^ 
Lne V  ra.Be  no  ^ore    han  one  In  ..dm  a      ^^^^^  ,  .  ^^^^  ^^. 

tints  till  tJie  succeeding  ^F'^f  "'^."X'first  season  before  their  de- 
Thechange  however  CO.  mencest^^^^^^  ^^^  distinguished 

parture.    In  the  m«"th  °f  Aug  sMUc  y       K  ^^^        ^^^ 

from  the  females  by  their  '"^^^.S^  b^eoming  stained  with  spot^  oi 
as  well  as  tlie  olive  S'^f "  f^^^^^^'l^l  red ;  these  being  irreg.ilar  y 
a  bnft- color,  -^ich  gradually  brighten  u^o  red ,      ^^^  tail,>articularly 
scattered  over  the  whole  body,  except  tn        ^      ^^^^^  ^^  ^^^ 
the  former,  which  I  have  otlen  iound  t^    ^^  ^^^^  ^.^^^  ^  ^^ot 

quills  in  the  succeeding  J"";-    .^^^^^  ^^  that  time  to  be  a  nondescript, 

'X'^eti'fS:^^^^  S?  l:i    This  was  about  the  middle 

L-  u  K...  hpm.  taken  by  Dosmarest  to  deno  e  his 

seedB.  — •  Ed. 


SUMMER  REI>-HmD. 


65 


of  May.  In  tlio  iiionth  of  August,  of  the  saino  year,  being  in  the 
woods  with  tho  jjiin,  I  perceived  a  bird  of  very  singular  plumage, 
and  hiiviug  never  before  met  with  such  an  oddity,  instantly  gave  chaao 
to  it  It  appeared  to  uie,  at  u  sinull  distance,  to  be  sprinkled  all  over 
with  rod,  green,  and  yellow.  After  a  great  deal  of  ditiiculty  —  for  the 
bird  had  taken  notice  of  my  eagerness,  and  had  become  extremely  shy 
—  I  succeeded  in  brin^'ing  it  down  ;  and  found  it  to  be  a  youi.g  bird 
of  the  sauio  species  with  the  one  I  had  killed  in  the  preceding  May, 
but  less  advanced  to  its  tixed  colors  ;  the  wings  entirely  of  a  greenish 
yellow,  and  the  rest  of  the  plnmage  spotted,  in  the  most  irregular 
manner,  with  red,  yellow,  brown,  and  greenish.  This  is  the  f^arie- 
pali'l  Til  linger,  referred  to  in  the  synonymes  preiixed  to  this  article. 
Having,  since  that  time,  seen  them  in  all  their  stiiues  of  color,  during 
their  residence  here,  I  have  tho  more  satisfaction  in  assuring  the 
reader  that  tlio  whole  four  species  mentioned  by  Dr.  Latham  are  one 
and  tho  same.  The  two  figures  in  our  platt;  repr(  cut  the  male  and 
female  in  their  complete  plumige. 

The  food  of  these  birds  consists  of  various  kinds  of  bugs,  and  largo 
black  beetles.  In  several  instaucen,  I  have  foiuid  tho  stomach  en- 
tirely filled  with  the  broken  remains  of  humble-bees.  During  the 
season  of  whortleberries,  tiiey  seem  to  subsist  almost  entirely  on  these 
berries ;  but,  in  the  early  part  of  the  season,  on  inscjcts  of  the  above 
description.  In  Pennsylvania,  they  are  a  rare  species,  having  myself 
sometimes  passed  a  whole  sununer  without  seeing  one  of  them ; 
while  in  New  Jersey,  even  within  half  a  mile  of  the  siiore  opposite 
the  city  of  Piiiladelphia,  they  may  generally  be  found  during  the 
t    son. 

The  note  of  the  male  is  a  strong  and  sonorous  whistle,  resembling 
a  loose  trill  or  shake  on  the  notes  of  a  life,  frequently  repeated;  that 
of  tlio  female  is  rather  a  kind  of  chattering,  approaching  nearly  to  the 
rapid  pronunciation  of  clikky-tucky-tuck,  chichf-tuckif-tuck,  when  she 
sees  any  pt-rson  approaching  the  neighborhoocl  of  her  nest  She  is, 
however,  rarely  seen,  and  usually  mute,  and  scarcely  to  be  distin- 
guished from  the  color  of  tho  foliage  at  a  distance  ;  while  the  loqua- 
city and  brilliant  red  of  the  male  make  him  very  conspicuous;  and 
when  seen  among  the  green  loaves,  particularly  if  the  light  falls 
strongly  on  his  plumage,  he  ha;^  a  most  beautiful  and  elegant  appear- 
ance. It  is  worthy  of  remark,  tint  the  i'emales  of  almost  all  our 
splendid  feiitliered  bir<ls  are  drcr^se.l  in  plain  and  often  obscure  colors, 
as  if  i'rovidence  meant  to  favor  tlu'ir  personal  ( onci'almont,  and,  con- 
sequently, that  of  their  nest  and  young,  from  the  depredations  of  birds 
of  prey ;  while,  among  the  latter,  such  as  Eagles,  Owls,  Hawks,  &c., 
which  are  under  no  such  apprehension,  the  females  are  uniformly  cov- 
ered with  richer-colored  plumage  tliau  the  males. 

The  Sununer  Red-Bird  delights  in  a  flat,  sandy  country  covered 
with  wood,  and  interspersed  witli  pine-trees,  and  is  consequently  more 
numerous  towards  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic  than  in  the  interior.  In 
both  Carolinas,  and  in  Georgia  and  Florida,  they  are  in  great  plenty. 
In  Mexico  some  of  thorn  are  probably  resident,  or,  at  least,  winter 
there,  as  many  other  of  our  ;  ammer  visitants  are  known  to  do.  In  the 
Northern  States  tliey  are  very  rare  ;  and  I  do  not  know  that  they  have 
been  found  either  in  Upper  or  Lower  Canada.  Du  Pratz,  in  his  Ifij- 
6* 


Ij 

1  ' 

'  1 

iH<' 

1' 

I  IS  I 

if'-. 


66 


INDIGO  BIRD. 


ter  a  vast  magazine  of  '""^f^^' J*?'^/*  ^J^'^.^e^^  is  so  jealous  of  it, 
leaves,  leavmg  only  --^^  jl^^  'd^rnk."     I  As .  probable, 

as  never  to  quit  its  neignuoruu  ,  f  .  ,j  -^  j  f  ^jjis  species 
tliough  I  cannot  co"o We  he  -^/  -^-f/.iimate  so  inoclerate, 
may  winter  near  the  Mississippi '  "";  ^  J'  ,  |  berries  is  to  be 
and  where  such  an  ^^^berance  of  truite  seeds,  ann^^ 

found,  even  during  winter,  '^''%l\f\^^^^^,^l  a  Ta  tacli  itself  so 
pains  in  hoarding  a  vast  quant  ty  ot  ,},n;;';j  ^"^'^J^^  ,.„i.  jj.  p.  04,  re- 
J^losely  to  it,  is  rather  apocryphal  Fhe  «J  ;« J^'j^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  caWalis,) 
lates  similar  particulars  ot  {^^  ^^^  hnaUxi^^^^^^^     ^  .^  ^^^^^^^ 

which,  though  lyvinters  in  Pe^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^         ,^ 

more  severe,  and  where  "le  itn^ui  ^  j.  ^^  ^      stimulus  to 

require  a  far  lar^.r  magazine  aii    be  a  ^'^^ec  01a  g  ^^^^^  ^ 

hoarding,  yet  has  no  ^";;^  ^^;;J  ^'Xinach  o  Se  Summer  Red-Bird, 

single  grain  ot  Indian  corn  m  tlie  •''^1  a^^^^^^^^  q     ^Jj^ 

tlioilgH;!  l-e  examine^i  many  im^^^^^^^^^^  both^^^,^            ,,„^, 

whole,  I  consider  this  ac.ouut  01  liu  gravely  informs  us, 

till  it  was  almost  dusL 


INDIGO  BIRD.-FRINGILLA  CYANEA.-F.o.  23. 

^       •   QiK       I ,.  Mimsiro  Uk^.  iv. 86.  — Indigo  Bunting, 
Pcaie's  Museum,  No.  (iOOiJ.  -  Lmar.a  oyanca,  i<«r<.  p.  ^JU. 
FRWaiLLA  CY^XEJi-  —  Wilson. 
Fringilla  c'-anoa,  li>mij).  Sifnop.f  p.  107. 
THIS  is  another  cj  .uo»e  rich  pl-ng^d  .ibes  «^t  vis.  us  in  jring 
from  the  regions  ot  the  south.    It  arrives        ^-^;^j^f  ^,4.  g   Member, 
second  week  in  May,  and  ^f  W^ars  Oimrt  Uic    'm 
It  is  numerous  in  all  the  settled  parts  ot  the  Middle  anu  1. 

t  By  a  loi.or  from  my  IrK'n-l.  Mr.  ^"'"''^"  V  V?'",  !"",l, orof..ro  provisionally 
M«si,.^nno  inlen.ls  to  for.n  a  t.-}^^ ^  ^^f^^.^'W,,,  a,,,naiu'.od  with  the 
«ar!,.7!  ilH  pr-n,,i  ,>H,n.>.  not  wi.lu-  R  to  nitutcr.   «mr  j_ 

mienlioMS  o(  anoll.er.    It  appears  «  range  w  ith  ir.c.  i  ./«  « 


INDIGO  BIRD. 


67 


in  the  Carolinas  ana  Georgia  it  is  also  abundant  Though  Catesby 
sttys  that  it  is  only  found  at  a  grtint  distance  from  the  sea,  yet  round 
the  city  of  New  York,  and  in  many  places  along  the  shores  of  New- 
Jersey,  I  have  mei;  with  them  in  plenty.  I  may  also  add,  on  tiie 
authority  of  Mr.  WiHiam  Bartrani,  tiiat  "they  inhabit  the  continent  and 
sea-coast  islands,  from  Mexico  to  Nova  Scotia,  from  the  seacoast 
west  beyond  the  Apalachian  and  Cherokee  mountains,"  *  They  are 
also  Icnown  in  Mexico,  whore  tlicy  probably  winter.  Its  favorite 
haunts,  while  with  us,  are  about  gardens,  fields  of  deep  clover,  the 
borders  of  woods,  and  road  sides,  where  it  is  frequently  seen  perched 
on  the  fences.  In  its  manners,  it  is  extremely  active  and  neat,  and  a 
vigorous  and  pretty  good  songster.  It  mounts  to  the  highest  tops  of  a 
large  tree,  and  chants  for  half  an  hour  at  a  time.  Its  song  is  not  one 
continued  strain,  but  a  repetition  of  short  notes,  commencing  loud  and 
rapid,  and  falling,  by  almost  imperceptible  gradations,  for  six  or  eight 
seconds,  till  they  seem  hardly  articulate,  as  if  the  little  minstrel  were 
quite  exhausted ;  and,  after  a  pause  of  half  a  minute,  or  less,  com- 
mences again  as  before.  Some  of  our  birds  sing  only  in  spring,  and 
tlien  chielly  in  the  morning,  being  comparatively "nmte  during  the  heat 
of  noon ;  but  tlic  Indigo  Bird  chants  with  as  nmch  animation  under 
the  meridian  sun,  in  the  month  of  July,  as  in  the  month  of  May  ;  and 
continues  his  song,  occasionally,  to  the  middle  or  end  of  August  His 
usual  note,  wlien  alarmed  by  iin  approacli  to  his  nest,  is  a  sharp  chip, 
like  tliat  of  strildng  two  hard  pebbles  smartly  together. 

Notwithstanding  the  beauty  of  his  plumage,  the  vivacity  with  which 
he  sings,  and  the  ease  with  which  he  can  bo  reared  and  kept,  the  In- 
digo Bird  is  seldom  seen  domesticated.  The  few  I  have  met  with 
were  talcen  in  trap  cages  ;  and  such  of  any  species  rarely  sing  equal 
to  those  which  have  been  reared  by  hand  from  the  nest.  There  is  one 
singularity  which,  as  it  cannot  be  well  represented  in  the  figure,  may 
be  mentioned  kere,  viz.  that,  in  some  certain  lights,  his  plumage  ap- 
pears of  a  rich  sky  blue,  and  in  others  of  a  vivid  verdigris  green ;  so 
that  the  same  bird,  in  passing  from  one  place  to  anotlier  before  your 
eyes,  seems  to  undergo  a  total  change  of  color.  When  the  angle  of 
incidence  of  the  rays  of  light,  reflected  from  his  plumage,  is  acute, 
the  color  is  green ;  when  obtuse,  blue.  Such,  I  think,  I  have  observed 
to  be  uniformly  tlie  case,  without  being  optician  enough  to  explain 
why  it  is  so.  From  tliis,  however,  must  be  excepted  tlie  color  of  the 
head,  which,  being  of  a  very  deep  blue,  is  not  affected  by  a  change  of 
position. 

Tlie  nost  of  this  bird  is  usually  built  in  a  low  bush,  among  rank 
grass,  grain,  or  clov(!r,  suspended  by  two  twigs,  one  passing  up  each 
side;  and  is  couiposed  outwardly  of  Hax,  and  lined  witii  fine  dry  grass. 
I  have  also  known  it  to  build  in  the  hollow  of  an  apple-tree.  The  eggs, 
generally  five,  are  blue,  with  a  blotch  of  purple  at  tlie  great  end. 

The  Indigo  Bird  is  five  inches  long,  and  seven  inc^hos  in  extent ; 
tlie  wliole  body  is  of  a  ricfi  sky  blue,  deepening  on  the  head  to  an  ul- 
tramarine, witli  a  tinge  of  purple  :  the  blue  on  the  body,  tail,  and 
wings,  varies  in  particular  liglits  to  a  light  green,  or  verdigris  color, 
similar  to  tliat  on  the  breast  of  a  Peacock ;  wings,  black,  edged  with 

•  TVmWs,  p.  299. 


n 

W' i '  f 

'#■  3 

I 


5 
J 
I      I 

ll    I 

t 


gg  ARTERICAN   REDSTART. 

light  blue,  and  beconjin.  ^X'^Sf  ^iU^te^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

lilht  blue;  g'-eater' black,  broadly  skirted  ^         ,^,^^,1,  below, 

black,  exteriorly  edged  ^3^^*  blue  ,  bUl,  biacK         ^^,^^  ^j^e  usually 

Bome;hat  larger  i"  P^P^^X  ^  J^  £'^^^^^^^^     ^^^^  ^'"'^  ^*'-  ^'".' 
are,  but  less  than  those  of  \\^,  g'^'^,,^^^^^^^  bird  has  much 

mi  t  has  classed  it,  though,  I  ^^V  ,ho  aS  Knffi«a,  where  I  must  be 
more  of  the  form  and  ^ ""T„f  feel  bSisl^^^  The  female  is 

permitted  to  place  if,  l«g«.^"twWs  dusky  black,  and  the  cheeks, 
^alight  flaxen  color,  ^^i*  jj\''  "feoioV  ^ifch  streaks  of  a  darker 
breast,\nd  whole  lower  P^^'^,  "^yeTem  places  with  bluish  To- 
color  under  tlie  wnigs,  and  ^'""^fl^^^lZL^^^^^^  of  the  color  ofthe 
wards  fall,  the  niale,  while  muu^^^^^^^^  ,i,h  plumage 

Ss3d^£tS  T'J^^i^n^    The  usual  food  of  this 
species  isiusects  and  various  kinds  of  seeds. 


AMERICAN   REDSTART  -MUSCICAPA  RUTICILLA.- 

Fio.  24. 

r   in       f""     I   Siist   i    935- — Motacilla  fla- 
vicauJa.   (.'met.  i^>lf  '•,''•  I' ^t'^fa-SmJl  American  Redstart,  £c(t«.  80. 

Mtiseum,  No.  ()t)o8. 

THOCon  this  bird  has  ^- f  Xl^X" ^"^^  -  t^ 
table  ornitholog.sts  among  ^^^J^^J^^^.^J  decisively  V.u.rkod ;  and, 
characteristics  ot  the  genus  •^^"^^'^TV-it/hcrs  of  its  tribe.  It  is  al- 
in  fact,  it  is  otie  of  the  most  ^^f^Ay-  f,^^^^  party  offlies 

most  pcTpetunlly  in  >''"  '»"'  ""^  HY^  ^i^^^t  perpendicular,  but  zig- 
from  Ihc  tops  ot  the  tallest  '<^Jf'"\ J^  dS^ing  of  its  bill  is  distmctly 
/.ag  direction,  to  the  g'•«i»"l^;^ ^ *,^,f '  p,  "en  or  twelve  of  these  m 

oLl ;  and  I  doubt  not  but  '^  oft^^/^'^j^jf^^^^ijhts  on  an  adjoining 
a  descent  of  tliree  o^^'S  fort  few  moment!,  flirting  its  expand- 
braiich,  traverses  It  ^^nf  ^;;j"'  'Ji^.^^y  .hoots  off,  in  a  direction  quite 

.  This  l>ir..  for.ns  the  '/jr^.f  ^I^^AS -l^^T  i  J.in,S;  c|^  '^^ 

The  youug  bird  w  hgurca  in  i-iu.  '■— 


AMERICAN  REDSTART. 


69 


Its  notes,  or  twitter,  though  animated  and  sprightly,  are  not  deserving 
the  name  of  song ;  sometimes  they  are  wise,  toeese,  wehe,  repeated 
every  quarter  of  a  minute,  as  it  skips  among  tlie  branches ;  at  other 
times  this  twitter  varies  to  several  other  chants,  which  I  can  instantly 
distinguish  in  the  woods,  but  cannot  find  words  to  imitate.  The  in- 
terior of  tlie  forest,  the  borders  of  swamps  and  meadows,  deep  glens 
covered  with  wood,  and  wherever  flying  insects  abound,  there  this 
little  bird  is  sure  to  be  seen.  It  makes  its  appearance  in  Pennsylvania, 
fiom  the  south,  late  in  April ;  and  leaves  us  again  about  the  beginning 
of  September.  It  is  very  generally  found  over  the  whole  United  States, 
and  lias  been  taken  at  sea,  in  the  fall,  on  its  way  to  St.  Domingo,*  and 
other  of  the  West  India  islands,  where  it  winters,  along  with  many 
}iiore  of  our  summer  visitants.  It  is  also  found  in  Jamaica,  where  it 
remains  all  winter.f 

The  name  Redstart,  evidently  derived  from  the  German  rothatetis, 
(red  tail,)  has  been  given  this  bird  from  its  supposed  resemblance  to 
the  Redstart  of  Europe,  [Motadlla  phanicurus ;)  but  besides  beinji' 
decisively  of  a  different  genus,  it  is  very  different  both  in  size  and  in 
the  tints  and  disposition  of  the  colors  of  its  plumage.  Buffon  goes 
even  so  far  as  to  question  whether  the  differences  between  the  two  be 
more  than  what  might  be  naturally  expected  from  change  of  climate. 
This  eternal  reference  of  every  animal  of  the  New  World  to  that  of 
the  Old,  if  adopted  to  the  extent  of  this  writer,  with  all  the  transmu- 
tations it  fs  supposed  to  have  produced,  would  leave  us  in  doubt 
whether  even  the  Ka-te-dids  \  of  America  were  not  originally  Night- 
ingales of  the  Old  World,  degenerated  by  the  inferiority  of  the  food 
and  climate  of  this  upstart  continent.  We  have  in  America  many 
different  species  of  birds  that  approacii  so  near  in  resemblance  to  one 
another,  as  not  to  be  distinguished  but  by  the  eye  of  a  naturalist,  and 
on  a  close  comparison ;  these  live  in  the  same  climate,  feed  on  the 
same  food,  and  aru,  I  doubt  not,  the  same  now  as  they  were  five  thousand 
years  ago ;  and,  ten  thousand  years  hencf  tlie  species  then  exist, 
will  be  found  marked  with  the  same  nice  (.,  .liminations  as  at  present 
It  is  therefore  surprising,  that  two  different  species,  placed  in  different 
quarters  of  the  world,  sho'ild  have  certain  neai  resemblances  to  one 
another,  witliout  being  ba.-tards,  or  degenerated  descendants,  tlic  one 
of  tlie  other,  when  the  whole  chain  of  created  beings  seems  united  to 
each  other  by  such  amazing  gradations,  that  bespeak,  not  random 
chance  and  accidental  degeneracy,  but  the  magnificent  design  of  :iu 
incomprehensibly  wise  and  omnipotent  Creator. 

The  American  Redstart  builds  frequently  in  low  bushes,  in  tho 
fork  of  a  small  sapling,  or  on  the  drooping  branches  of  the  elm,  within 
a  few  feet  of  the  ground ;  outwardly  it  is  formed  of  flax,  well  wound 
togetlier,  and  moistened  with  its  saliva,  interspersed  here  and  tii'jre 
with  pieces  of  lichen,  and  lined  with  a  very  sofl,  downy  substance 
The  female  lays  five  white  eggs,  sprinkled  with  gray,  and  specks  of 
blackish.    The  male  is  extremely  anxious  for  its  preservation ;  and, 

*  Edwards. 
t  Sloane. 

X  A  species  of  Chnjllus,  well  known  for  its  lively  chaUer  during  the  evenings  and 
nighta  or  September  and  October. 


W  I  I 


1 

;i.:i 

•  "1' 

1 

_ 

70 


CEDAR  BIRD. 


„„  .  pe.o„'.  «pproach.„«  4e  place,  will  m  about  wito  .  few  feel, 

the  creneral  color  above  is  black,  which  covers  u  ^ 

neck:  and  spreads  on  the  ^3  nerk'^t  is  glossed  -ith  stee!  blue ; 
where,  as  well  as  on  the  ^^^d  and  ne«^  ^J'j^^.iae  of  the  wings,  and 
si.lcs  of  tlie  breast  below  tns,  black ,  me  ^^^  ^j^^ 

upper  half  of  the  ^^'«"11^J  ^^  °l„^,teincr  black,  conceal  this; 
greater  and  lesser  ^"^ert^  ot  tJie  wingj  D^^^^^  a  broad,  transverse 
and  the  orange  or  J^yxrom/^^^ovj^pv^^'l^  Sip,  they  are  brownish ; 
hand  across  the  wings  ;  ^^l^'^^^'J^Zi?^,  oJher  eight  of  the 
the  four  middle  leathers  otuie  «i" J^'  .  ' ,  ^j  ^,  ^ent,  white, 
san.e  aurora  color,  and  black  towards  tl^e  ^ips  ,  be  ly  an  ^^    w^  ^^^^ 

.Uolitly  streaked  with  pale  °™>5'^, '  J^'^u';^^^^;  long  bristk 
AU,.cicapa  fonn,  triangular  at  ^^^^  base  ^esa  ^^^^J   ^^^^  .^^^^^,, 

the  wing;  her  back  and  ^rown  ari,  ^  'j.   j     ^  -^  ^^^^  gides  of 

white  below  is  not  so  pure  ;  I'^tf  ,^  ^f  T^^^^  ^usky  brown.    The 

the  breast,  greenish  Y'^l  7;;  j\£^,^S^^  fLale,  differing 

young  males  ot  a  year  o  d  a^  almost  exac   y     ^^^^  ^^^^^^         ^^^^^^ 
,n  these  particulars,  *at  tliey  have  a  yt.  ^^^^^^^^ 

which  the'  female  has  ""^^ '"^^  ^^wni^dronesfbrownish  black ; 
the  lateral  tail-feaUiers  are  also  yenojv,mu.d^^^^^^^    ,       ^^^^.^^ 

inside  of  tlie  wings,  yellow     Un  tne  uur  ,       ,;         ^^  ^^^^^ 

complete  colors ;  and  as  males  ot  *»'«  ^econd  j^ear,  i  J^^  ^^^^^  ^^ 
of  the  female,  are  often  seen  -  \^  ^^^^^^XZ'^  people  to  assert 
the  full-plumaged  male,  it  has  g.  f  "^J^^esV  and  others  have  taken 
that  the  femaes  smg  as  -jj  J^J^^^^^^^^^^^^^  as  I  have  stated. it. 
S  if^d  LtrUtSown  t^pSe  in  gene'ral  to  have  any  provm- 
cial  name 


CEDAR  BIRD.-AMPELIS  AMERICANA. -Fio.  25. 

A.oeU.  «.rrulas,  Linn.  Syst  .2.7,  ^Z^.- Ur^S^'^t"!^^^! 
357,  1.1c/.  8v<    i-f  ■-^''f"'';  "^S   n2.-%o/fc'*  Last  VoyageA.5\8. 

Le  ia-seur  du  c^dre,  BombycUla  cedorum    ;;^f- I'tS^I^S^i  tne'^.can'a,  trZ 
l5on.bycilla  (^arolinensis,  Bonap.  t^ip'op-  V-  ^J-      •»"■     •> 
Zool.  ii.  p.  239. 

—Ed. 


i^^ 


CEDAR  BIRD. 


71 


its  crest  when  erected,  which  gives  it  so  gay  and  elegant  an  appear- 
ance. At  pleasure  it  can  lower  and  contract  this  so  closely  to  its 
head  and  neck  as  not  to  be  observed.  The  plumage  of  these  birds  is 
of  an  exquisitely  fine  and  silky  texture,  lying  extremely  smooth  and 
glossy.  Notwithstanding  the  name  Chatterers  given  to  them,  they  are 
perhaps  the  most  silent  species  we  have  ;  making  only  a  feeble,  lisping 
sound,  chiefly  as  they  rise  or  alight  They  fly  in  compact  bodies,  of 
from  twenty  to  fifty  ;  and  usuuUy  alight  so  close  together  on  the  same 
tree,  tliat  one  half  are  frequently  shot  down  at  a  time.  In  the  montlis 
of  July  and  August,  they  collect  together  in  flocks,  and  retire  to  tho 
hilly  parts  of  the  state,  the  Blue  Mountains,  and  other  collateral 
ridges  of  the  Alleghany,  to  enjoy  the  fruit  of  the  Vacdniu^  idiginc- 
sum,  whortleberries,  which  grow  there  in  great  abundance ;  whole 
mountains,  for  many  miles,  being  almost  entirely  covered  with  them  ; 
and  where,  in  the  month  of  August,  I  have  myself  found  the  Cedar 
Birds  numerous.  In  October  they  descend  to  tJie  lower,  cultivated 
parts  of  the  country,  to  feed  on  the  berries  of  the  sour  gum  and  red 
cedar,  of  which,  last  they  are  immoderately  fond ;  and  thirty  or  forty 
may  sometimes  be  seen  fluttering  among  the  brr.nches  of  one  small 
cedar-tree,  plucking  oflT  the  berries.*  They  are  also  found  us  far 
south  as  Mexico,  as  appears  from  the  accounts  of  Fernandez,  Seba,t 
and  others.  Fernandez  saw  them  near  Tetzeuco,  and  calls  them 
CoquantoU ;  says  they  delight  to  dwell  in  the  mountainous  parts  of 
the  country;  and  that  their  flesh  and  song  are  both  indifterent,| 
Most  of  our  epicures  here  are,  however,  of  a  different  opinion,  a«  to 
their  palatableness  ;  for,  in  the  fall  and  beginning  of  summer,  when 
they  become  very  fat,  they  are  in  considerable  esteem  for  the  tsble  ; 
and  g^eat  numbers  are  brought  to  the  market  of  Pliiladelphia,  where 
they  are  sold  from  twelve  to  twenty-five  cents  per  dozen.  During 
the  whole  winter  and  spring  they  are  occasionally  seen ;  and,  about 
the  25th  of  May,  appear  in  numerous  parties,  making  ^reat  havock 
airiong  the  early  cherries,  selecting  the  best  and  ripest  c  f  tlie  fruit 


9 


I   i 


;  i 


*  They  appear  all  to  be  berry-oatcrs.  at  least  duriiio  winter.  Those  of  Europe 
have  fferierally  been  observed  to  Iced  on  the  fruit  of  the  mountain  ash,  and  one  or 
two  killed  near  Carlisle,  which  I  had  an  opportunity  of  examining,  were  literally 
crammed  with  hollyberries.  "  The  appetite  of  the  Cedar  Uird,"  Auduboi:  remarks, 
"  is  of  so  extraordinary  a  nature  as  to  prompt  it  lo  devour  every  fruit  or  berry  that 
comes  in  its  way.  In  this  manner  they  {lor^e  themselves  to  such  exces.;  as  some- 
times (o  be  unable  to  fly,  and  suffer  themselves  lo  be  taken  by  tlu?  hand  ;  and  I 
have  seen  some,  which,  thoug'h  wounded  and  confined  to  a  viiiu'.  lia%>'  ''nten  apples 
until  suffocation  deprived  them  of  life."  —  P.  2i7.  ■■  IliU  they  are  also  excellent  lly- 
catchers,  spending  much  of  their  time  in  the  pursuit  of  wina;e<i  insects  .  litis  is  not, 
however,  managed  with  the  vivacity  or  suddeiuiess  of  true  FIvcalcher.s,  bet  with  a 
kind  of  listlessness.  They  start  from  the  branches,  and  give  chase  to  the  insects, 
ascending  after  them  for  a  few  yards,  or  move  horizontally  towards  ;hem,  and  a? 
soon  as  the  prey  is  secured,  return  to  the  spot,  where  they  continue  watching  with 
slow  motions  of  the  head.  This  amusement  is  carried  o;i  during  evening,  and 
longer  at  the  approach  of  autumn,  when  tho  berries  become  scaico.  Tliev  become 
very  fat  during  tne  season  of  fruits,  and  are  then  so  fenderand  juicy  as  to  ho.  sought 
after  by  every  epicure  for  the  table.  —  a  basketful  of  these  birds  is  sometimes  sent 
as  a  Ohristma.'.  present." —  P.  22;5.  —  Ed. 

t  The  figure 'jf  !l,' .  lird,  in  Seba's  voluminous  work, 'S  too  wretched _  for  criti- 
cism; it  is  ther"  rnWcd  ■'  Oisetiu  Xon)otl,  d'Amerique,  huppee."  Seb.  ii.  p.  66,  t 
66,  fig.  6. 

t  titst.  ,4".  AV..    fJisp.  65. 


1 

PI 

1 

Ml 

I 

ilii 


n 


CEDAR  B!RD. 


I  I 


Nor  are  they  easily  intimidated  bv  the  presence  of  Mr.  Scarecro-A- ; 
fo?  I  havrslen  a  flock  deliberately  feasting  on  the  fruit  c.t  a  load  h1 

are  sittirg,  or  f-«  y-f^;,t  B^^  no  argeftt  "StSd  .e'el; 
"ncUt  fsTeVe  i^Sth'of S*  o?  Satmonth' before  they  be.in  to 
bu  Id  The"e  S  are  curious  circumstances,  which  it  is  difficult  to 
prponnt  for  uXs  bv  supposing  that  incubation  is  retarded  by  a 
sS^virBile  fSd  -^^^m  berries  and  other  fruit  being  tl>eir 
usuaT  fafe     In  May,  before  the  cherries  are  ripe,  they  are  lean,  and 

renemllv  effing  fhe  orchard  fo^  tliat  purpose.  The  nest  is  large 
for  the  ize  of  tl  Jbird,  fixed  in  the  forked  or  horizontal  branch  of  an 
lor  ine  si/;t.  ui  u  ,.         ^j^     oTound ;  outward!  v,  and  at 

ToK:  •  S  a"™ro.  ™»rL  Xj  .ml  of  Brai.  an.1  tl,e  taide  „ 
li^,.nhollv  mth  very  line  Btolks  of  the  same  inMcnal.    The  eggs 

nnrent  nor  are  they  even  seen,  notwithstanding  you  are  in  tne  tree 
parent,  nor  are  uiey  ev  ,  ^^^  j^^^  frequently 

m!»icXi"«"  ""  """hoffcct  on  the.n ;  fcr  the,  con.mno,  .t  that  ,nter- 
"'ffi,''llrSo  tadTn  Canada, -here  it  i.  colled  «.»«, 

iurtice  or  propriety  a  mere  ^mparison  of  llie^^wo  wil)  a.iermi. 


'rati  GKiiAT  HORNLD  OWL 


CEDAR  BIRD. 


73 


The  European  species  is  very  nearly  twice  the  cubic  bulk  of  ours ; 
has  tlio  whole  lower  parts  of  a  uniform  dark  vinous  bay ;  the  tips  of 
tlie  wings  streaked  ^yith  lateral  bars  of  yellow ;  the  nostrils,  covered 
with  bristles ;  *  the  feathers  on  the  chin,  loose  and  tufted  ;  the  wings, 
black;  and  the  markings  of  white  and  black  on  the  sides  of  the  head 
different  from  the  A'-  can,  which  is  as  follows: — Length,  seven 
inches,  extent  eleven  ...raes;  head,  neck,  breast,  upper  part  rf  the 
back  and  wing-coverts,  a  dark  fawn  color,  darkest  on  the  back,  and 
brightest  on  tlie  front ;  head,  ornamented  with  a  high,  pointed,  almost 
upright,  crest;  line  from  the  nostril  over  the  eye  to  the  hind  head, 
velvety  black,  bordered  above  with  a  fine  line  of  white,  and  another 
line  of  white  passes  from  the  lower  mandible ;  chin,  black,  gradually 
brightening  into  fawn  color,  the  feathers  there  lying  extremely  close ; 
bill,  black;  upper  mandible  nearly  triangular  at  the  base,  without 
bristles,  short,  rounding  at  the  point,  where  it  is  deeply  notched  ;  the 
lower,  scolloped  at  the  tip,  and  turning  up ;  tongue,  as  in  the  rest  of 
the  genus,  broad,  tliin,  cartilaginous,  and  lacerated  at  the  end ;  belly, 
yellow ;  vent,  white ;  wings,  deep  slate,  except  the  two  secondaries 
next  the  body,  whose  exterior  vanes  are  of  a  fawn  color,  and  interior 
ones,  white ;  forming  two  whitish  stripes  there,  which  are  very  con- 
spicuous ;  rump  and  tail-coverts,  pale  light  blue  ;  tail,  the  same,  grad- 
ually deepening  into  black,  and  tipped  for  half  an  inch  witli  rich  yel- 
low. Six  or  seven,  and  sometimes  the  whole  nine,  secondary  feathers 
of  the  wings  are  ornamented  at  the  tips  with  small,  red,  oblong  appen- 
dages, resembling  red  sealin  J-wax ;  tliese  appear  to  be  a  prolongation 
of  the  shafts,  and  to  be  intended  for  preserving  the  ends,  and  conse- 
quently the  vanes,  of  the  quills,  from  being  broken  and  worn  away  by 
the  almost  continual  fluttering  of  the  bird  among  thick  branches  of 
the  cedar.  The  feathers  of  those  birds,  which  are  without  these  ap- 
pendages, are  uniformly  found  ragged  on  the  edges,  but  smootli  and 
perfect  in  those  on  whom  the  marks  are  full  and  numerous.  These 
singular  marks  have  been  usually  considered  as  belonging  to  the  nmle 
alone,  from  the  circumstance,  perhaps,  of  finding  female  birds  without 
them.  They  are,  however,  common  to  both  male  and  female.  Six  of 
the  latter  are  now  lying  before  me,  each  with  large  and  numerous 
clusters  of  eggs,  and  having  the  waxen  appendages  in  full  perfection. 
Tlie  young  birds  do  not  receive  them  until  the  second  fall,  when,  in 
moulting  time,  they  may  be  seen  fully  formed,  as  the  feather  \s  devel- 
oped from  its  sheath.  I  have  once  or  twice  found  a  solitary  one  on 
tlie  extremity  of  one  of  the  tail-feathers.  The  eye  is  of  a  dark  blood 
color ;  tlie  legs  and  claws,  black ;  tlie  inside  of  the  moutli,  orange ; 

Asia  alone.  The  fallacy  of  this  opinion  was  decided  by  the  researches  of  several 
oriiitholoKisls,  and  latterly  confirmed,  by  the  discovery  in  America  of  the  B.  gar- 
niliis  itself,  the  description  of  which  will  form  a  part  of  Vol.  III.  (of  the  London 
edilion.) 

The  genus  Bombycilla  of  Brisson  is  generally  adopted  for  these  two  birds,  and 
will  now  also  contain  a  third  very  beautiful  and  nearly  allied  species,  discovered  in 
Japan  by  the  entcrprisinff,  but  unfortunate,  naturalist  Scibold,  and  fi^ircd  in  the 
Planches  Colonies  of  M.  Temminck,  under  the  name  of  B.  phcenicoptera.  It  may 
be  remarked,  that  the  last  wants  the  waxlike  appendages  to  the  wings  and  tail ;  at 
Icist  so  they  are  represented  in  M.  Tcmminck's  plate  ;  but  our  own  species  some- 
liHies  wants  them  aJ.so.  —  Ed. 

*  TURTON. 


"^"^^p^^pp^^- 


74 


CEDAR  BIRD. 


!  ii 


E 


gap.  wide;  and  the  ^llet  ^^^^f-^J:^:^^:^^^ 
S^welvo  or  ^^^  ''?,"o'  womler  Senf  that  this  gluttonous 

want  both  the  inclmation  and  powe^^^^^^^^  ^^^  The 

Heem  to  belong  to  those  only  o    !«««  f^e  and  female  codbihis  in  th. 
chief  difference  m  the  Pi^XS'r  the  iSor  appearance  of  the  crest, 
dulnes.  of  the  tints  of   he  latter  the  '"^^   PP  ^  ^^  t^,,. 
and  the  narrowness  ot  the  yellow  bar  on  ui      v  ^^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^_ 

Though  I  do  not  flatter  mv^^^^^^^^^  ^^em  look  on 

jndice  from  the  minds  ot  f^J^>S^f7« '^"^  ^-^^.^^^  species  from  their 
tkis  bird,  also,  aH  a  X'S  t  cMnge  has  beeS  vcy  .reat,  very 
own,  yet  they  must  a  lo^^  tnai  .iie  |  jc„  where  I  Uave  never 
„nif;)rm,  and  univei^al,  ^^  J';^  ^^rth  Ame„^^^^^  n  ^^^^  ^  .^  ^^^^^ 
heard  tliat  the  Luropean  species  f  «^  ^een  loun  ^      '  ^_,.  ^,,.  ^^ 

this  would  only  show  more  clearly  the  spex^^^^^  ^^^^  ^.^, 

S^JreCiTnaf  rn  b^S^^^^  -hned  to  the  same 

^"K  il  is  not  only  in  theco^;.;;^Sln;f:r  ^  :i;^;M  hS 
difl-er,  but  in  several  JP^f^^^PJ^rsp^^^^^^^^^  ""'^f'^^"  '' 

The  breeding-place  of    he  ^^"^»I^J7.  ^^     ,^r  resions;   from  wlienco. 

supposed  to  be  -"^^-^.^J^  f,°,^f  .l^"  Euff excursions  to  variou. 
in  winter  they  niakediffentand^v^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^^  „t 

r^l  "/inZ'  H4"  N    an    so^^^^^  ^hat  mauy  years  son.  times 

England,  in  lat. . '14   >^-'a""«"'      b     rpRnnearance  :  which,  in  uu 
elapse  between  their  '^/'Parture  a";'   ^^^  ,ome  great  national 
superstitious  ages,  has  bo3n  supposed  ^^  P"™J         jes^  inhabits  tl.o 
cX'.i',.    On  the  other  hand,  the    Vmencansp  ^^^ 

wb..le  ^aensive  range  ^^tween   M,  mco  a'^^'^J'     J  ^^^,i,|     u.eir 
mn-h.ruiherbotJi  northerly  and  sc^uthorly^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^. 

^oung  li   all  the  mtennediate  rcf^^^ons^^^  k  f^^j^^.,iti,ens 

^bavvi;,  vithin  a  few  yards  ot  our  houses.     1  m  je  0        ^^^^^^^^^    ^ 
who  h.-.  e  still  any  doubts  ""j./^f  ^^ Srsuperb  collection  of  Mr. 

see  beautiful  ^P'-f^^'^^jJ.^^lU  '       '^"u.se  magnificent  rr.useum  is 
Charles  W.  Peale  ot  .I'hiladelph  a,    ^^h o^^^  ^^^^^^^^^ 

indeed  a  national  blessmg  and  -'^^  h«  jv  ^J^f ,,,      Birds  •,  in  others 

In  some  parts  ot  the  country  im  y  a  ^         ^^^^  ^^^^  ^^ 

Cherry  Birds,  from  their  ^ndness  tor  tbat  ku  t  ^     ^  ^           ^^i^ty 

ripe  persimuK>ns,  small  winter  g  ape  ,bi^^  ^^f.^^^^^^  ^^^^ 

of  other  fruits  and  berries,     flu  ac   o^x  ot  tn  ^^^,^^      i^^^ 

and  berries  does  not  scm  U^    J  ur^^  and 

rather  to  promote  thn^i,%nnbedhngt^^^  ^^^  ^^.^^^^^^  ^^^^^ 

they  are  t'hus  trausportod  to  and  l^an^^d  1  n  v  ^^eiulness  to 

by  these  little  birds.    In  other  respect,  no  ,  ^^  ^^^ 

the  farmer  may  h«  q«estioned ,  and  m  the  gen  ^  ^^ 

feathered  songsters  they  ^^n  scarcely  be^^^  ^^^^^^    ^„a  „,inute 

mU8t,therefore,rank  them  far  below^^^^^^^^  ^^  J^^^.^  ^^^^^^^ 

warblers,  their  neighbors   ^hom  Providence  ^^^.^^^_ 

bothasallicstoprotectthe  property  of  «^^^^^^  ^     ^^  ^  ^^e 

ing  insects,  and^  af^^r^^T^I^ienfand  deUghtful  meTod?. 


REI>-BELLTEn   WOODPECKER 


M 


RED- BEL  LIED   WU«^ 


JPECKER.  - 
1  le.  96. 


PICUS  CA!      UNUS  — 


Pieu*  Cuolinus,  Linn,  fiyst.  i.  174,  10. —  Pie  varie  do  la  Janialque,  jBujfon,  vii.  7X. 
PI  «f^.  -WT.  —  Picuii  viirius  medius  Jamaicensis,  Sloan.  Jam  299, 16. — Jamaica 
Wo<)ilj>  ker,  AVr.  ail.  — C'otM.i.  19,  fiff. 'i.  Arct.  Zool.  li.  No.  161.  — Latt. 
Sun,  ii.  J70,  17.  Id.  oil,  17,  a.  Id.  /'. — 1,  I'peicho  raye  fie  la  Louisiane,  Buff, 
vii.  73.     PI.  tnl.  692,  —  Peak's  Museum,  No.  1944. 

COLAPTES  CjIROLIJVUS.—  Svi union. 

Picuk  Carolimw,  Bonap.  Sijnop.  p.  45.  —  Picus  eryihrauehen,  tVagl.  Syit.  Ao 

No.  35J. 


.'  habits  so  charac- 

Mc  than  the  Red- 

)thor  spotted  Wood- 

largest,  high-timbered 

eldom  appearing  near 


Tmib  species  posBesses  all  the  restlf   .s 
teristi'   of  \\<  tribe.     It  is  more  shy  and  li 
headed  one,  (P.  enfthrocephnlus,)  or  any  ot 
peckers.    It  is  also  more  solitary.    It  prefer 
woods,  and  tallest  decayed  trees  of  the  fori 

the  ground,  on  the  feii.  os,  or  in  orchards,  or  open  fi'dds ;  yet  wliere 
thn  trf^PH  have  been  deadened,  and  stand  pretty  thick,  in  fields  of 
Indii'  orn,  as  is  common  in  new  settlements,  I  have  observed  it  to 
be  ve  iniroua,  and  have  fonnd  its  stomach  sometimes  completely 

filled  with  that  frrain.*  Its  voice  is  liourser  than  any  of  the  others ; 
and  its  usual  note,  "  cliow,"  h  often  reminded  me  of  the  barkinp^  of 
•'i  little  lapdog.  It  is  a  most<  .  Tt  climber,  pos  essing  extraordinary 
.4rength  in  the  luuscles  of  its  feet  and  clau  -  u\  'noves  about  the 
body  and  horizontal  limbs  of  the  trees  with  equt.  I  ciiity  in  all  direc- 
tions. It  rattles,  like  the  rest  of  the  tribe,  on  the  dead  limbs,  and  with 
such  violence  as  to  be  lieard,  in  still  wt-ather,  more  than  half  a  mile  off, 
and  listens  to  hear  the  insects  it  ha.s  alarmed.  In  the  lower  side  of 
some  lofty  branch  that  makes  a  considerable  angle  with  the  horizon, 
the  male  and  female,  in  conjunction,  dig  out  a  circular  cavity  for  their 
nest,  sometimes  out  of  the  solid  wood,  but  more  ffenerally  into  a  liollow 
limb,  twelve  or  fifteen  inches  above  where  it  becomes  solid.  This  is 
usually  performed  early  in  April.  The  female  lays  five  eggs,  of  a  pure 
white,'  or  almost  semi-transparent;  and  the  young  generally  make 
their  appearance  towards   the  latter  end  of  May,  or  beginning  of 

*  This  species  will  also  range  \r  he  gen  Colaptes,  but  will  present  a  more 
aberrant  form.  In  it  wo  have  ttir  .  v,iiipres'  I  and  slightly  bent  shape  of  the  bill, 
licromins'' stronfjer  and  more  angular;  wc  ave  the  barred  plnmaa;e  of  iho  upper 
parts,  hut  that  of  the  head  is  uniform  an  '  .alysliginly  elongated  behind  ;  and  in  the 
wings  and  tail  the  shafts  of  the  qui!'  ojie  their  strength  and  beautiful  color.  _  In 
Wilson's  description  of  the  habits,  we  ,iiso  lind  them  agreeing  with  the  modifications 
of  form.  It  prefers  the  more  solitary  recesses  of  lofty  forests  ;  and,  though  capable 
of  tii-iiing  and  twisting,  and  possessing  a  great  part  "of  the  activity  of  the  Nuthatch 
and  itmice,  it  seldom  appears  about  orchards  or  upon  the  ground ;  yet  it  occa- 
sionally %Msits  the  corn-fielas,  and  feeds  on  the  grain,  and,  as  remarked  above,  is 
"  capable  of  suiisisting  on  coarser  and  more  various  fare,"  The.se  modifications 
of  habit  we  shall  always  ind  it  unison  with  the  structure ;  and  we  cannot  too  much 
admire  the  wisdon  that  has  t^>^4  mutually  adapted  them  to  the  various  oflSces  ibey 
are  destined  to  iil .  —  Ed. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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76 


RED-BELLIED  WOODPECKER. 


June  climbing  up  to  the  higher  parts  of  the  tree,  being  as  yet  unable 
to  fly  In  Situation  they  are  fed  for  several  days,  and  often  become 
Se  nrev  ofthe  Hawks.  From  seeing  the  old  ones  continumg  their 
S^S  after  Sis  period,  I  believe^  that  they  often,  and  petbaps 
always,  produce  two  broods  in  a  season.  Dunng  the  greatest  part  of 
thi  summer,  the  young  have  the  ridge  of  the  neck  and  head  of  fl 
dvdl  rownish  asL  and  a  male  of  the  'jiird  year  has  received  his 

^'TheRed-bSied  Woodpecker  is  ten  inches  in  length,  and  seven- 
teen in  extent    ti^e  bUl  is  nearly  an  inch  and  a  half  in  length,  wedged 
at  Se  point,  bit  not  quite  so  much  grooved  as  some  others  strong, 
and  of  a  bluish  black  color;  the  nostrils  are  placed  m  one  of  these 
Sooves'and  covered  with  curving  tufts  of  light  brown  hair«,  ending 
S  black  points;  the  feathers  on  the  front  stand  more  erect  Uian 
^ual  and  are  of  a  dull  yellowish  red ;  from  thence,  along  the  whole 
7per'  p^rt  of  the  head  an'd  neck,  down  the  back  and  BF^drng/ound 
to^  the  shoulders,  is  of  the  most  brilliant,  go^^^^f  °f /Jj^^j  *^ 
whole  cheeks,  liAe  over  the  eye,  and  under  side  ot  the  neck,  are  a 
Se  buff  colo;,  which,  on  the  breast  and  belly,  deepens  ^to  a  jeUow- 
Ish  ash,  stained  on  the  belly  with  a  blood  red ;  the  vent  and  thigh 
feather^  are  dull  white,  marked  down  their  centres  with  heart-formed 
and  long  a^ow-pointed  spots  of  black.     The  back  is  black,  crossed 
w°Si  transverse  Eurving  lines  of  white;  the  wings  are  also  black;  the 
Sser  wing-coverts  circularly  tipped,  and  the  whole  Pnm^"«f.  «;^d 
secondarief  beautifully  crossed  w  di  bars  of  ^vhjte  „^f  ^  also  t^ed 
with  the  same ;  the  rump  is  white,  interspersed  with  touches  of  black , 
the  tail-covert^,  white  near  their  extremities ;  the  tail  consists  of  ten 
feathere  tlie  two  middle  ones  black,  their  interior  webs  or  vanes 
wS;fe,'^'rJ;sed  with  diagonal  spots  of  black ;  these,  when  the  edg^^ 
of  the  two  feathers  just  touch,  coincide  and  form  heart-shaped  spots , 
a  narrow  sword-shaped  line  of  white  runs  up  tlie  exterior  side  of  ^e 
shafts  of  the  same  leathers ;  the  next  four  feathers  on  each  «id^  are 
black-  the  outer  edges  of  the  exterior  ones,  barred  with  black  and 
ttte;whlho;the^lower  side,  seems  to  cross  the -hole  vane,  as  in 
the  figure;  the  extremities  of  the  whole  tail,  except  the  outer  fealhei^ 
are  bfack,'sometimes  touched  with  yellowish  or  cream  co^or;  the  ^gs 
and  feet  are  of  a  bluish  green,  and  the  iris  of  tlie  eye  red.    The 
tonVie  or  03  hyoides,  passes  up  over  the  hind  head,  and  is  attached, 
rfvei?  elastic,  retr^Stile  membrane  to  the  base  of  the  right  nos- 
Sl  •  the  extrein  ty  of  the  tongue  is  long,  homy,  very  pointed,  and 
Sickly  edged  with  barbs;  Uie  other  part  of  the  tongue  is  worm- 
?naped.    if  several  specimens,  I  found  the  stomach  "early  fiUedwiU^ 
pieces  of  a  species  of  fungus  that  grows  on  decayed  wood,^  and,  m 
all,  with  great  numbers  of  insects,  seeds,  gravel,  &c.  Jhe  fema»« 
differs  from  the  male,  in  having  the  crown,  for  an  inch,  of  a  fine  ash 
2nd  the  b  ack  not  so  intense;  the  front  is  reddish,  as  m  the  male,  and 
ftelole  hind  head,  down  to  the  back,  likewise  of  the  same  rich  red 
MhTs     In  the  bird,  from  which  this  latter  description  was  taken,  I 

•  Most  probably  swallowed  wiO.  Ihe  insects  which  n,fe^^^^^^        ~hed  in  the 
■nrious  iBo.«  poiypori,  »c.,  Dut  lonnmg  im  part  ol  wcir  re 


:Ai 


YELLOW-THROATED  FLYCATCHER. 


77 


found  a  large  cluster  of  minute  eggs,  to  the  number  of  fifty,  or  up- 
wards, in  the  beginniu,^  of  the  month  of  March. 

This  species  inhabits  a  large  extent  of  country',  in  all  of  which  it 
seems  to  be  resident,  or  nearly  so.  I  ibund  them  abundant  in  Upper 
Canada,  and  in  the  northern  parts  of  the  state  of  New  York,  in  the 
month  of  November ;  they  also  inhabit  tlie  whole  Atlantic  states  as 
far  as  Georgia,  and  tlie  southern  extremity  of  Florida,  as  well  as  tlie 
interior  parts  of  the  United  States,  as  far  west  as  Chilicothe,  in  tlie 
state  of  Ohio,  and,  according  to  Buffon,  Louisiana.  They  are  said 
to  be  the  only  Woodpeckers  found  in  Jamaica,  though  I  question 
whether  this  be  correct,  and  to  be  extremely  fond  of  the  capsicum,  or 
Indian  pepper.*  They  are  certainly  much  hardier  birds,  and  capable 
of  subsistmg  on  coarser  and  more  various  fare,  and  of  sustaining  a 
greater  degree  of  cold,  than  several  other  of  our  Woodpeckers.  They 
are  active  and  vigorous ;  and,  being  almost  continually  in  search  of 
insects  that  injure  our  forest-trees,  do  not  seem  to  deserve  the  injurious 
epithets  that  almost  all  writers  have  given  them.  It  is  true,  they  fre- 
quently perfora,te  the  timber,  in  pursuit  of  these  vermin ;  but  this  is 
almost  always  in  dead  and  decaying  parts  of  the  tree,  which  are  the 
nests  and  nurseries  of  millions  of  destructive  insects.  Considering 
matters  in  this  light,  I  do  not  think  their  services  overpaid  by  all  the 
ears  of  Indian  com  they  consume,  and  would  protect  them,  within 
my  own  premises,  as  being  more  useful  than  injurious. 


FELLOW-THROATED  FLYCATCHER. 
SYLVICOLA.  — Fio.StT. 


MUSCICAPA 


Peale's  Museum,  No.  6827. 

yiREO^  FUlFIFROJirS—ViiiLLOT. 

Vireo  flavifrons,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  70. 

This  summer  species  is  found  chiefly  in  the  woods,  hunting  among 
the  high  branches ;  and  has  an  indolent  and  plaintive  note,  which  it 
repeats  with  some  little  variation,  every  ten  or  twelve  seconds,  like 

*  .Sl.OANE. 

t  Vireo  is  £i  genus  originally  formsd  by  Vieillot  to  contain  an  American  grouj) 
of  birds,  since  the  formation  of  which  several  additions  have  been  made  by  Bona- 
parte and  Swainson  of  species  which  were  not  at  first  contemplated  as  belonging 
to  it. 

The  group  is  peculiar  to  botli  continenU  of  America,  —  they  inhabit  woods,  feed 
on  insects  and  berries,  and  in  their  manner  have  considerable  alliance  to  the  War- 
blers and  Flycatchers.  By  Mr.  Swainson  they  are  placed  among  the  Ampelidce, 
or  berry-eaters,  but  with  a  mark  of  uncertainty  whether  they  should  stand  here  or 
at  the  extremity  of  some  other  family.  The  arctic  expedition  has  added  a  new 
soecies  much  allied  to  V.  olimceus.  "Sfr.  Swainson  has  dedicated  it  to  the  venera- 
i>.e  naturalist  Banram.  tnu  mtimaie  fricno  n  V\  i.soa  ana  mentions.  tnaL  on  coni- 
Dannj;  se\'enteen  soecies.  Vxreo  Banrimx.  was  m-ica  siK3a.es    59  coim 


78 


YELLOW-THROATED  FLYCATCHER. 


preeb,m-eeh,&LC.  It  is  often  heard  in  company  with  the  Red-eyed 
tVcLteher  (Jtfiwcicopa  oKrocea)  or  Whip-tom-kelly  of  Jamaica;  the 
loud,  energetic  notes  of  the  latter,  mingling  with  the  soft,  languid  war- 
ble of  the  former,  producing  an  agreeable  effect,  particularly  durng 
the  burning  heat  of  noon,  when  almost  every  other  songster  bu 
th^se  two  IS  silent  Those  who  loiter  through  the  shaoes  of  our 
ma^rnificent  forests  at  that  hour,  will  easily  recogmze  both  species. 
It  arrives  from  the  south  early  in  May;  and  returns  again  witli  its 
young  about  tlie  middle  of  September.  Its  nest,  which  is  sometimes 
fixed  on  the  upper  side  of  a  limb,  sometimes  on  a  horizontal  branch 
among  the  twigs,  generally  on  a  tree,  is  compos.^d  outwardly  of  thin 
strips  of  the  bark  of  grape  vines,  moss,  lichens,  &c.,  and  lined  with 
fine  fibres  of  such  like  substances;  the  eggs,  usually  four,  are  white, 
thinly  dotted  with  black,  chiefly  near  the  great  end.    Wmged  insects 

are  its  principal  food.  .,    ,  t_  r.  ..    >  ^„of 

Whether  this  species  has  been  described  before  or  not,  1  must 
leave  to  tlie  sagacity  of  tlie  reader,  who  lias  tlie  opportunity  ot  exam- 
ining European  works  of  this  kind,  to  discover.*  1  have  met  with 
no  description  in  Pennant,  Buffon,  or  Latham,  that  will  properly  apply 
to  this  bird,  which  may  perhaps  be  owing  to  the  imperfection  ot  the 
account,  rather  than  ignorance  of  the  species,  which  is  by  no  means 

The  Yellow-throated  Flycatcher  is  five  inches  aflA  a  half  long,  and 
nine  inches  from  tip  to  tip  of  the  expanded  wings ;  the  upper  part  ot 
the  head,  sides  of  the  neck,  and  the  back,  are  of  a  fine  yelk w  olive; 
throat  breast,  and  line  over  the  eye,  which  it  nearly  encircles,  a  deli- 
cate lemon  yellow,  which,  in  a  lighter  tinge,  lines  the  wings;  belly 
and  vent,  pure  silky  white ;  lesser  wing-coverts,  lower  part  ol  the 
back,  and  rump,  ash;  wings,  deep  brown,  almost  black,  crossed  with 
two  white  bars;  primaries,  edged  with  light  ash,  secondaries,  witli 
white;  tail,  a  little  forked,  of  the  same  brownish  black  with  the 
wings,  the  three  exterior  feathers  edged  on  each  vane  wiUi  white ; 
legs  and  claws,  light  blue ;  the  two  exterior  toes  united  to  the  middle 
one,  as  far  as  the  second  joint;  bill,  broad  at  the  base,  with  three  or 
four  slight  bristles,  the  upper  mandible  overhanging  the  lower  at  the 
point,  near  which  it  is  deeply  notched ;  tongue,  thin,  broad,  tapering 
near  the  end,  and  bifid;  the  eye  is  of  a  dark  hazel;  and  the  whole 
bUl  of  a  dusky  light  blue.    The  female  differs  very  little  m  color 
from  the  male ;  the  yellow  on  the  breast,  and  round  the  eye,  is  duller, 
and  the  white  on  tlie  wings  less  pure. 

brigliter.  the  wings  considerably  shorter  and  more  rounded,  and  the  first  quill  al- 
ways siiorter  than  the  fifth,  — that  V.  olivaceus  is  confined  to  North  Amenca,  wliile 
V.Bartramii  extends  to  Brazil.  The  species  of  the  arctic  expediUon  were  pro- 
cured by  Mr.  David  Douglas  on  the  banks  of  the  Columbia.  Mr.  Swainson  also 
met  wuh  the  species  in  the  Brazils  ;  and,  from  specimens  sent  to  us  by  that  gentle- 
man, 1  have  no  hesitation  in  considering  them  distinct,  and  of  at  once  recognizing 

the  differences  he  has  pointed  out.  

Mr.  Audubon  has  figured  another  species  which  will  rank  as  an  addition  to  this 
genus,  and,  if  proved  new,  will  stand  as  Vireo  Vigorsii;  he  has  only  met  with  a 
single  individual  in  Pennsylvania,  and  enters  into  no  description  of  lU  history,  or 
distinctions  from  other  allied  birds.  —  Ed. 

♦  Wee  Orange-throated  Warbler,  Latham,  Syn.  ii.  t31, 103. 


PURPLE  FINCH. 


79 


PURPLE  FINCH.  — FRINGILLA  PURPUREA.  —  Fig.  28. 

Fringilla  purpurea  Gmel.  Syst.  i.  923.  —  Kouvreuil  viol  t  de  la  Caroline,  Bujf.  iv. 
393.  —  Purple  F'nch,  Arct.  Zool.  ii.  No.  958.  —  Catesb.  i.  41.  —  Lath.  Synop.  iii. 
275,  39.  —  Crimson-headed  Finch,  Arct.  Znol.  ii.  No.  257.  —  Lath.  Syrum.  ii\. 
275,  39.  —  Gmel.  Sysi.  i.  864.  —  Fringilla  rosea  Pallas,  iii.  «99,  26.  —  Hemp 
Bird,  Bartram,  291.  —  Fringilla  Purpurea,  Id.  291.  —  Peale'a  Museum,  No.  650i 


ERYTimOSPIZ.^  PUKPUREjl.  —  UosAiARtr.. 


Fringilla  purpurea,  iionap.  Synop.  p.  114.  —  Purple  Finch, 
Fnngilla  purpurea.  Crested  Purple  Fin^h,  North.  Zool.  ii. 


/l«rf.  I.  p.  24.  PI.  iv.— 
,  purpurea.  Urestecl  Purpfe  Fin^h,  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  264.  —  Erytlirospiza 
purpurea,  Osserv.  di  C  L.  Bonap.  Sulla  Sec.  Ed.  del.  Ciw.  lleg.  Aiiiin.  \>.  (iO. 


This  is  a  winter  bird  of  passage,  coming  to  us  in  large  flocks  from 
the  north,  in  September  and  October;  great  numbers  remaining  with 
us  in  Pennsylvania  during  the  wliole  winter,  feeding  on  the  seeds  of 
tlie  poplar,  button-wood,  juniper,  cedar,  and  on  those  of  many  rank 
weeds  that  flourish  in  rich  bottoms,  and  along  the  margin  of  creeks. 
When  the  season  is  very  severe,  tliey  proceed  to  the  soutli,  as  far  at 
least  as  Georgia,  returning  north  early  in  April.  They  now  frequent 
the  elm-trees,  feeding  on  the  slender  but  sweet  covering  of  the 
flowers;  and  as  soon  as  the  cherries  put  out  their  blossoms,  feed 
almost  exclusively  on  the  stamina  of  the  flowers ;  afterwards  the 
apple  blossoms  are  attacked  in  the  same  manner ;  and  their  depreda- 
tions on  these  continue  till  they  disappear,  which  is  usually  about  the 
10th  or  middle  of  ]\Iay.  I  have  been  told  that  they  sometimes  breed 
in  the  northern  parts  of  New  York,  but  have  never  met  with  their 
nests.  About  the  middle  of  September,  I  found  these  birds  numerous 
on  Long  Island,  and  round  Newark  in  New  Jersey.  They  fly  at  a 
considerable  height  in  the  air,  and  their  note  is  a  single  ckink,  like 
that  of  tlie  Rice  Bird.  They  possess  great  boldncs''  and  spirit,  and, 
when  caught,  bite  violently,  and  hang  by  the  bill  i'rom  your  hand, 
striking  witli  great  fury ;  but  they  are  soon  reconciled  to  confine- 
ment, and  in  a  day  or  two  are  quite  at  liome.  I  have  kept  a  pair  of 
these  birds  upwards  of  nine  months  to  observe  their  manners.  One 
was  caught  in  a  trap,  the  other  was  winged  with  the  gun ;  both  are 
now  as  familiar  as  if  brought  up  from  the  nest  by  the  hand,  and 
seem  to  prefer  hemp  seed  and  cherry  blossoms  to  all  other  kinds 
of  food.  Botli  male  and  female,  thougli  not  crested,  are  almost 
constantly  in  the  habit  of  erecting  the  feathers  of  the  crown ;  they 
appear  to  be  of  a  tyrannical  and  domineering  disposition,  for  they 
nearly  killed  an  Indigo  Bird,  and  two  or  three  others,  that  were 
occasionally  placed  witfi  them,  driving  them  into  a  corner  of  tlie  cage, 
standing  on  them,  and  tearing  out  their  feathers,  striking  them  on  me 
head,  munching  their  wings,  &c.,  till  I  was  obliged  to  interfere ;  and, 
even  if  called  to,  the  aggressor  would  only  turn  up  a  malicious  eye  to 
me  for  a  moment,  and  renew  his  outrage  as  before.  They  are  a  hardy, 
vigorous  bird.  In  the  month  of  October,  about  the  time  of  their  first 
arrival,  I  shot  a  male,  rich  in  plumage,  and  plump  in  flesh,  but  which 
wanted  one  leg,  that  had  been  taken  ofi'  a  little  above  the  knee ;  the 


I    ! 


80 


PURIM-F,  FINCH. 


n   ., 


■,\-' 


.ound  had  healed  so  ^^f^^l'^^'^^lZnZZ'y'lt  "w^heter 
skin,  that  it  seemed  as  tliough  it  had  been  so  lor  y« 

repeated  in  this  work,  ?»f^" J^l^^^^  jgon  as  a  different  species; 

fori  t  a  ?r  wtcT'ti  wm%rbXrat  the  Crimson-headed 

^rPurrfSch  is  six  inches  in  length,  and  nine  in  extent;  head 

Tdi^y  Uli.h  flesh  color ;  ^ Sr^SSgl °"a^ mf^ 
homcolor;  iris,  dark  ha^U  tte  leauiera  covctu  b  ,„,ie  when 

dusky  i.d  .tha?  the  ojher  p.r«  of  *e  teji-  JJ  -»  f^^^  „f  . 

sr„'osrort;efi,s:.|"d**dus^^^^^^ 

with  ktomi  lines  of  f  *f  ^  wlte""!  bi^lfte  wSftisC  «aked 

his  shown  thai  Wi  son  is  wrong  "}  .""^kms  Je  "S/ g^Vnson    e.narka,  "  We  are 
erythrina  of  Gmelu,,  the  same  ^^'^h^.^^-'^teciesoni^urple  Finches,  ^ 
alniosl  persuaded  thai  there  are  7"  ^'^  HJ^^P^^f^  "f  America;  have  con/ounded 
not  only  Wilson  but  all  ^-^^^^  Va  ^b^^^^^^^^^  ^^al  another  allied 

splTes  mayTe't  beTseove^d.  ^^  thTt  perhaps  Wilson  was  wrong  regarding  birds 
which  he  took  for  a.e  F.  ^f  •  ..      .  ^      a„d  Bonaparte  will  rank  as  a  sub- 

gefusWv^^/i  Sr^J^^i^^o:if\^^  habi^U,  approach  very  near  to 
Both  the  Crossbills  and  Pine  ^^rosbeaks,  received  his  review  of  Cuvier's 

By  the  attention  of  the  !'""«'«  °f^"?SeVJoSt  the  opinion  of  that  ornithologist 
R^gfU'  Animal,  and  am  now  enabled  iJ/t^'^i'^^/hVsubordinate  rank  of  the  group, 

Lath.     According  to  the  list  of  ^l^^^'^s  which  "« '^«^  p^^^XTo      will  have  a  very 
no  present  opportunity  of  comparing  wi  h  the  tnae  tj  pe  ine^^  J 
cxi-»R9ivfi  distribution  over  Amcnca,  Europe,  Asia,  anci  Ainc«.      ^u. 


BROWN  CREEPER. 


81 


second  season,  when  the  males  begin  to  become  lighter  yellowish, 
which  gradually  brightens  to  crimson;  the  female  always  retains 
nearly  uie  same  appearance.  The  young  male  bird  of  the  first  year 
may  be  distinguished  from  the  female  by  the  tail  of  the  former  being 
edged  with  ohve  green,  that  of  the  latter  with  brown.  A  male  of  one 
of  these  birds,  which  I  kept  for  some  time,  changed  in  the  month  of 
October  from  red  to  greenish  yellow,  but  died  before  it  recovered  its 
former  color. 


BROWN  CREEPER.  —  CERTHIA  FAMILIARIS.— Fio.  29. 

Little  Brown  Variegated  Creeper,  Bartram,  289.  —  Peale's  Museum,  No.  2434. 

CERTHIA  FJiMILlJiRlS.  —  Uan xui. 

Certhia  familiaris,  Linn.  Syst.  Nat.  i.  4<59.  lionap.  Sy.Mp.  p.  93.  —  The  Creeper, 
Bewick,  Brit.  Birds,  i.  p.  148.  —  Le  Griinpcreau,  Temm.  Man.  i.  p.  410.  — 
Common  Creeper,  Selby  111.  plate  39,  vol.  i.  p.  116. 

This  bird  agrees  so  nearly  with  the  Common  European  Creeper, 
{Certhia familiaris,)  that  I  have  little  doubt  of  their  being  one  and  the 
same  species.*  I  have  examined,  at  different  times,  great  numbers  of 
tliese  birds,  and  have  endeavored  to  make  a  correct  drawing  of  the 
male,  that  jSuropeans  and  others  may  judge  for  themselves;  and  the 
excellent  artist  to  whom  the  plate  was  intrusted  has  done  his  part  so 
well  in  the  engraving,  as  to  render  the  figure  a  perfect  resemblance 
of  the  living  original. 

The  Brown  Creeper  is  an  extremely  active  and  restless  little  bird. 
In  winter  it  associates  a  ith  the  small  Spotted  Woodpecker,  Nuthatch, 
Titmouse,  &c.;  and  often  follows  in  their  rear,  gleaning  up  those 

*  I  have  compared  numerous  IJrilish  specimens  with  skins  from  Nortli  Americn, 
and  can  find  no  differences  tlial  will  cutille  a  Fcparation  of  species.  In  this  country 
they  are  very  abundant,  more  so  apparently  in  winter,  so  llial  wo  either  receive  a 
great  accession  from  tlie  more  iiorlliern  parts  of  Europe,  or  the  colder  season  and 
diminished  supply  of  food  draws  them  from  u.v^ir  woody  solitudes  nearer  to  the 
habitations  of  man.  It  is  often  said  to  bo  rare  —  an  opinion  no  doubt  arising  from 
the  difficulty  of  seeing  it,  and  from  its  solitary  and  un;;ssumin^  manners.  A  short 
quotation  from  a  late  author  will  best  explain  our  meaning,  and  confirm  the  account 
of  its  manners,  so  correctly  described  above.  "  A  retired  inhabitant  of  the  woods 
and  groves,  and  not  in  any  way  conspicuous  for  voice  or  plumage,  it  passes  its  days 
with  us.  creating  scarcely  any  notice  or  attention.  Its  small  size,  and  the  mjmner 
in  which  it  procures  its  food,  both  tend  to  secrete  him  from  sight.  In  these  pursuits 
its  actions  are  more  like  those  of  a  mouse  than  of  a  bird,  darting  like  a  great  moth 
from  tree  to  tree,  uttering  a  faint,  trilling  sound  as  it  fixes  on  tneir  boles,  running 
round  them  in  a  spiral  direction,  when,  with  repeated  wriggles,  having  gained  the 
summit,  it  darts  to  the  base  of  another,  and  commences  agam." 

The  present  species  will  form  the  type  and  only  individual  yet  discovered  of  the 
genus  Certhia.  The  other  birds  described  by  our  author  as  Certhice,  will  all  rank 
elsewhere;  and  the  groups  now  known  under  the  titles  Cinyris,  Neclarinia,  &c., 
which  were  formerly  included,  making  it  of  great  extent,  and  certainly  of  very  varied 
forms,  will  also  with  propriety  hold  their  separate  stations.  The  solitary  tjyje  ranges 
in  Europe,  according  to  Pennant,  as  far  north  as  Russia  and  Siberia,  and  Sandmore 
in  Sweden.  In  North  America,  it  will  extend  nearly  over  the  whole  continent. 
—  Ed. 


82 


BROWN  CREEPER. 


insects  which  their  more  powerful  bills  had  alarmed  and  exposed; 
foJlS^owrBlenEi^urvatedbill^  unequal  to  the  task  of  pen- 

SmtinHnto  even  the  decayed  wood;  though  it  may  iPto  holes,  and 
behhid  scales  of  the  bark.  Of  the  Titmouse,  there  are,  generally, 
Dresei  the  individuals  of  a  whole  family,  and  seldom  more  than  one 
^twf  of  Uie  oS  As  the  party  advances  tlirough  the  woods  from 
toee  toSerour  UtS  gleaner  seems  to  observe  a  good  deal  o  regu- 
UrftfinhSZceedings;  for  I  have  almost  always  observed  that  he 
affionKdy  S\  the  tree,  anS  directs  his  course 

Si  VeatniSness,  upwards,  to  .the  higher  branches    --;^-- 
BDirallv    often  in  R  direct  line,  moving  rapidly  and  unifo....ly  along, 
w^th  his  tail  bent  to  the  tree,  and  not  in  the  liopping  manner  of  the 
Woodpecker  whom  he  far  surpasses  in  dexterity  of  climbing,  rumiing 
aJontr  the  loweTsWe  of  the  horizontal  branches  with  surprising  ease. 
iSl^rson  be  near  when  he  alights,  he  is  «-«  to  keep  the  o  P^^^ 
Bide  Jfthe  tree,  moving  round  as ^e  moves  so  as  to  Pr^vent^^^^^^^^^^ 
getting  more  than  a  transient  glimpse  of  him.  Jhe  best  "^^^Jhod  ol 
niitwininir  him  if  vou  are  a  one,  is,  as  soon  as  he  alights,  and  ttisap 
psTS  the  tJunk,  take  yo- sUnd  »,ehind  an  ad,oim^^^^^ 
kPPD  "  sharp  look-out  twenty  or  thirty  feet  up  the  body  ot  the  tree  ne 
is  u^n-fo    he  generally  mounts  very  regularly  to  a  considerable 
heiXt,  examTning  Sie  whole  way  as  he  advances.    In  a  minute  or  two, 
heSnVainill,  he  will  make  his  appe^ance  on  one  side  or  other  of 
f},P  trPP  and  ffive  you  an  opportunity  of  observing  him. 

tE  bKreTstributed  over  the  whole  United  States,  but  are 
most  rmerousTn  the  Western  and  Northern  States,  and  particularly  so 
SAe Tpth  of  the  forests,  and  in  tracts  of  large  timbered  woods,  where 
Sey  usuaCyVreed,  visiting  the  thicker  settled  parts  of  the  country^n 
fill  and  winter.  They  are  more  abundant  in  the  flat  woods  ot  me 
o  ver  diste"ct  of  New^Jersey  than  in  Pennsylvania  and  are  frequently 
S  nmonathe  Dines  Though  their  customary  food  appears  to  con- 
"f  Sf  SseSSof  the  coLpterous  class,  yet  I  have  frequently 

found  in  Lir  stomachs  the  seeds  of  the  P--f  ^J^J"^  ^S^.f  ^^ 
species  of  fungus  ^at  vegetates  m  old  -o<^  -th  gene^^^^^^^^^^ 

ETthe  cir  ;nd  Sinrof  the  male  and'femlle.    In  the 
Hio^rof  MarchTopened  eleven  of  these  birds,  among  whom  were 
rvemlfeSes,  L  appeared  by  the  clusters  of  minute  eggs  with 
whfch  tSovaries  were  filled,  and  also  several  well-marked  males 
3   on  the  most  careful  comparison  of  their  plumage,  I  could  find 

and  these  I  uniformly  found  to  be  males.  I  also  received  two  of  these 
bids  from  the  country  bordering  on  the  Cayuga  Lake,  in  New  York 
s  ate  from  a^pereon  wlo  killed  them  from  the  tree  in  which  they  had 
E'neT  Themaleof  this  pair  had  the  bill  of  the  same  extraordmajy 
dzewfth  several  others  I  had  examined  before  ;  the  plumage  m  rve^ 
'^npot  the  same.    Other  males,  indeed,  were  found  at  the  same  time, 


BROWN  CREEPER.  88 

of  the  usual  size.  Whether  this  be  only  an  accidental  variety,  or 
whether  the  male,  when  full  grown,  be  naturally  so  much  larger  than 
the  female,  (as  is  the  cose  with  many  birds,)  and  takes  several  years 
in  arrivin?  at  his  full  size,  I  cannot  positively  determine,  though  I 
think  the  Tatter  most  probable. 

The  Brown  Creeper  builds  his  nest  in  the  hollow  trunk  or  branch 
of  a  tree,  where  the  trer  has  been  shivered,  or  a  limb  broken  off,  or 
where  Squirrels  or  Woodpeckers  have  wrought  out  an  entrance ;  foi 
nature  has  not  provided  him  with  the  means  of  excavating  one  for  him- 
self. 1  have  known  the  female  begin  to  lay  by  the  17th  of  April.  The 
eggs  are  usually  seven,  of  a  dull  cmereous,  marked  with  small  dots  of 
reddish  yellow,  and  streaks  of  daik  brown.  The  young  come  forth 
with  great  caution,  creeping  about  long  before  they  venture  on  wing. 
Prom  the  early  season  at  which  they  begin  to  builti,  I  have  no  doubts 
of  their  raising  two  broods  during  summer,  as  I  have  seen  the  old 
ones  entering  holes  late  in  July. 

The  length  of  this  bird  is  five  inches,  and  nearly  seven  from  the 
extremity  of  one  wing  to  that  of  the  other ;  tiie  upper  part  of  the  head 
is  of  a  deep  brownish  black ;  the  back  brown,  and  both  streaked  with 
white,  the  plumage  of  the  latter  being  of  a  loose  texture,  with  its  fil- 
aments not  adhenng ;  the  white  is  in  the  centre  of  every  feather,  and 
is  skirted  with  brown ;  lower  part  of  the  back,  nrnip,  and  tail-coverts, 
rusty  brown,  the  last  minutely  tipped  with  whitish ;  the  tail  is  as  long 
as  the  body,  of  a  light  drab  color,  with  the  inner  web  dusky,  and  con- 
sists of  twelve  quills,  each  sloping  off  and  tapering  to  a  point  in  the 
manner  of  the  Woodpeckers,  but  proportionably  weaker  in  the  shafts ; 
in  many  specimens  the  tail  was  very  slightly  marked  with  transverse, 
undulating  waves  of  dusky,  scarce  observable ;  the  two  middle 
feathers  the  longest,  the  others  on  each  side  shortening,  by  one  sixth 
of  an  inch,  to  the  outer  one ;  the  wing  consists  of  nineteen  feathers, 
the  first  an  incli  long,  the  fourth  and  fifth  the  longest,  of  a  deep 
brownish  black,  and  crossed  about  its  middle  with  a  curving  band  or 
rufous  white,  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  breadth,  marking  ten  of  the 
quills ;  below  this  the  quills  are  exteriorly  edged,  to  within  a  little  of 
their  tips,  with  rufous  white,  and  tipped  with  white ;  the  three  secon- 
daries next  the  body  are  dusky  white  on  their  inner  webs,  tipped  on 
the  exterior  margin  with  white,  and  above  that,  alternately  streaked 
laterally  with  black  and  dull  white ;  the  greater  and  lesser  wing-coverts 
are  exteriorly  tipped  with  white ;  the  upper  part  of  the  exterior  edges 
of  the  former,  rufous  white ;  the  line  over  the  eye,  and  whole  lower 
parts,  are  white,  a  little  brownish  towards  the  vent,  but,  on  the  chin 
and  throat,  pure,  silky,  and  glistening;  the  white  curves  inwards 
about  the  middle  of  the  neck ;  the  hill  is  half  an  inch  long,  slnnder, 
compressed  sidewise,  bending  downwards,  tapering  to  a  point,  dusky 
above,  and  white  below ;  the  r  strils  are  oblong,  half  covered  with  a 
convex  membrane,  and  without  hairs  or  small  featherc  ;  the  inside  of 
the  mouth  is  reddish ;  the  tongue  tapering  gradually  to  a  point,  and 
horny  towards  the  tip ;  the  eye  is  dark  hazel ;  the  legs  and  feet,  a 
dirty  clay  color ;  the  toes,  placed  three  before  and  one  behind,  the  two 
outer  ones  connected  with  the  middle  one  to  the  first  joint ;  the  claws 
rather  paler,  large,  almost  semicircular,  and  extremely  sharp  pointed  • 
the  hind  claw  tlie  largest.  . 


i 


f     .' ' 


u 


GOLDEN-CRESTED  WREN. 


QOLDEN-CRESTED  WREN.- SYLVIA  REGULUS.-F.o.  30. 

„      ,       r  •        «■«/  i  338  48  —  Lath.  8yn.  iv.  508, 146.  —  Edw.  264 

REOULUS  il£OW0/W£S.* -Jaiidirb. 

o  «.».««    n   01  —  Female  Golden-crowned  Gold-Crest, 

'**^"Vr.'TiV.^'X..i72,'^.i' -Sylvia  rcguloides,  8w.  MSS. 

TnrH  diminutuo  species  is  a  freju-f^^^^f^jj:  1^  TlJ^ 
described,  and  seems  to  be  almost  a  ^^^^"jj^^^^e^etth^  wIst 

*  The  GoUl-CrcsU,  the  Common  Wrens,  -) J -;X^^^^^^^^ 
cies,lere  associated  tog^'- '» iJ^^c"-  ^^^^^^^^  with  .ho 

not  to  the  external  character!,  in  a  inn  ten  >  •"    ^        Then  many  d.vis- 

habits  and  atliniiies  which  invariably  f  °"  ,'^^' 'P^^^^'^  ^.^^      of  Hay  was  pro- 
ions  were  formed  and  «;"°"f.  ''«^,^.,'^f  °""^*^^  S'  bV  sftens,  the  ^ontiimator 
posed  for  this  small  but  beautiful  tribe.  .  »\7/^.  "%,i,  V  £rtli  American  Birds, 
of  Shaw's  Zoology,  and  by   '°"«P^^'«„;"J'l„=^f'^wilsm^     Mr.  Swainson  makes 
and  the  first  volume  of  his  clcpant  ^^'''iXflL  but  desigiiates  it  on  that  account 
this  eenus  the  typical  form  of  the  whole  .^!''"'«'^'^"  „f  p^/^,  „„  account  of  its 
undir  the  title  .s4.a.     I  '--t;,-|;^J  'l%fen  Xpi^'Vorm  by  Stephens 
former  use  by  Uay  ?'^"  ^"'"Kable  to  cToate  less  confusion  than  the  brmffing  for- 
and  Bonaparte,  and  lastly,  as  l.aDie  to  "^"^""^     .    ,  „rt;„iiv  of  the  typical  group) 
ward  of  an  old  name  (though  denoting  the  »yP";«    "^^  Y,,"'  fe^;,/*^ 
which  has  been  applied  to  ^'>,)^«';y  j^X-^.V^heTe  figired^d  the  Common  Gold- 
Wilson  was  in  error  reprd.ng  J  f  .^A'^^.'^*^*  ^fJU '^"«n  '"'"  ^^'^  '"""'  "       ' 
Crest  of  Europe  being  .cTentical,  and  »^"fP"^**'i,"„cK,sively  European.    Regidu3 
v^en  fieuriug  the  female.     K-^^tNorA  American     Upon  comparing  the  two 
reguloils  appears  yet  eY'fi'rL.foLh.e  "aria  ions --Length  oF  R.regu- 
sr^cies  minutely  together,  I  find  '''•;/'7r^'  f.^,"^^  ft„m  three  inches  and  a  halT  to 
iLes,  three  inches  seven  «'g'}^'';- .f,„f  ,'he  ffi^oS    and  more  dilated  at  the 
three  inches  six  ciehlhs.    In  f-    "f'Z  are  more  tngfd  with  olive, -in  R.  regu- 

wanting  entirely  in  the.  British  specie^  ii(,„  inhabits  the  temperate  and 

This  very  hardy  and  active  '''^^^'^''^"XreTof  the  arctic  circle.  They  are 
norUiern  climates,  reaching  even  to  l*'«  ^f  *3'^^„uU  some  species  are  able  to 
migratory  in  the  more  northern  '^°""'"f /  and  t^^^^^  and  a  lower 

brave  our  severest  winters,  others  are  no  doub^^^^^^  ''^rspeeies  of  our  author 
degree  of  cold,  to  quit  the  rigors  '>l«^^^''^^''l^Q^^^^  Britain,  at  the  commence- 
performs  migrations  ""''^ward  to  breed  .and  he  numbers  of  our  own  Gold-Crest. 
^enlofwiiitcr,wehavearegi.laraccessm^loth^  ^^^^  ^.^^  ^^^ 

S^^^n:yJ:ith^;^:^i??^£^^^ 

?aSar  T^^J^t^^^'^  m&rr:iated  by^Mr.  Selby,  as 

t  Thcr.  i,  acurious  structure  '(^J'^^ -^rl-^lS^iel^^^-f'^-^"'^^ 
piomo'ioi  on  encn  siu^  me  w-i»  -'      s    = 


OOLDEN-CRESTED  WREN. 


8B 


from  Europe,  in  Mr.  Peale's  coUtction,  appears  to  be  in  nothing 
specifically  different  from  the  American;  and  the  very  accurate 
description  given  of  this  bird,  by  the  Count  de  Buffon,  agrees  in  every 
respect  with  ours.  Here,  as  in  Europe,  it  is  a  bird  of  passage, 
maKing  iW  first  appearance  in  Pennsylvania  early  in  April,  among 
the  blossoms  of  the  maple,  often  accompanied  by  the  Ruby-crowned 
Wren,  which,  except  in  the  markings  of  the  head,  it  very  much  ro- 
semblca.  It  is  very  frequent  among  evergreens,  such  as  the  pine, 
spruce,  cedar,  juniper,  &c.,  and  in  the  fall  is  generally  found  in  com- 
pany with  the  two  species  of  Titmouse,  Brown  Creeper,  and  small 
Spotted  Woodpecker.  It  is  an  active,  unsuspicious,  and  diligent 
little  creature,  climbing  and  hanging,  occasionally,  among  the 
branches,  and  sometimes  even  on  the  body  of  the  tree,  in  ,;earch  of 
the  larvai  of  insects  attached  to  the  leaves  and  stems,  and  various 

occurring  on  tho  coast  of  Northumberland  in  1822,  when  the  sandhills  and  links  were 
perfectly  cov^jred  with  them. 

"  On  the  2Uh  and  25th  of  October,  1822,  after  a  very  severe  gale,  with  thick  fog, 
from  the  north-east,  (but  veering,  towards  its  conclusion,  to  the  east  and  south  of 
east,)  thousands  of  these  birds  were  seen  to  arrive  upon  the  sea-shore  and  sand- 
banks of  the  Northumbrian  coast;  many  of  them  so  fatigued  by  the  length  of  their 
flight,  or  perhaps  by  the  unfavorable  shii't  of  wind,  as  to  be  unable  to  rise  agam 
from  the  ground,  and  groat  numbers  were  in  consequence  caught  or  destroyed. 
This  flight  must  have  been  immense  in  quantity,  as  its  extent  was  traced  through 
the  whole  length  of  the  coasts  of  Northumberland  and  Durham.  There  appears 
liulc  doubt  of  this  having  been  a  migration  from  the  more  northern  provinces  of 
Europe,  (probably  furnished  by  the  pmo  forests  of  Norway,  Sweden,  &c.,)  from  the 
circumstance  of  its  arrival  being  simultaneous  with  that  of  largo  flights  of  the 
Woodcock,  Fieldfare,  and  Rcdwnig.  Although  1  had  never  before  witnessed  the 
actual  arrival  of  the  Gold-crested  Regulus,  I  had  long  felt  convinced,  from  the  great 
and  sudden  increase  of  the  species  during  the  autumnal  and  hyemal  months,  that 
our  indigenous  birds  must  be  augmented  by  a  body  of  strangers,  making  these  shores 
their  winter's  resort. 

"  A  nore  extraordinary  circumstance  in  the  economy  of  this  bird  took  place 
during  ihe  same  winter,  [Memoirs  o/^  VVernerian  Societtj,  vol.  v.  p.  397,)  viz.,  the 
total  disappearance  of  the  whole  tribe,  mtives  as  well  as  strangers,  throughout 
Scotland  and  the  north  of  England.  This  happened  towards  the  conclusion  of  the 
month  of  January,  1823,  and  a  few  days  previous  to  the  long-continued  snow-storm 
so  severely  felt  through  the  northern  counties  of  Ei.gland,  and  along  the  eastern 
parts  of  Scotland.  The  range  and  point  of  this  migration  arc  unascertained,  but  it 
must  probably  have  been  a  distant  one,  from  the  fact  of  not  a  single  pair  having 
returned  to  breed,  or  pass  the  succeeding  sjmmer,  in  the  situations  they  had  been 
known  always  to  frequent.  Nor  was  one  of  the  species  to  be  seen  till  the  followirtg 
October,  or  about  the  usual  time,  as  I  have  above  stated,  for  our  receiving  an  an- 
nual accession  of  strangers  to  our  own  indigenous  birds.'' 

They  are  chiefly,  if  not  entirely,  insectivorous,  and  very  nimble  'ind  agile  m  search 
after  their  prey.  They  build  their  nesU  with  great  art,  — that  .  i  coimtrv  has  it 
usually  suspended  near  the  extremity  of  a  branch,  and  the  ou'  ii  beautifully  cov- 
ered with  difi'erent  mosses,  generally  similar  to  those  growing  upon  the  tree  on 
which  they  build.  In  colors  and  the  distribution  of  them,  they  closely  agree,  and 
all  possess  the  beautiful  golden  crown,  the  well-known  and  admired  mark  of  their 
common  name.  Our  own  island  possesses  only  one,  and  thougl:  strong  hopes  have 
lately  been  raised  of  finding  the  second  European  species,  R.  ignicapUlus,  our  en- 
deavors have  hitherto  been  unsuccessful.  But  I  do  not  yet  despair ;  they  are  so 
closely  allied  that  a  very  near  inspection  is  necessary  to  determine  the  individuals. 

Mr.  Audubon  has  described  and  figured  a  bird  under  tha  name  of  14.  Cuvierii. 
which  may  prove  an  addition  to  this  genus.  Only  a  single  specimen  was  procured 
in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  species  will  rest  on  Mr.  Audubon's  plate  alone,  until  some 
others  are  obtained.  The  centre  of  the  crest  is  described  and  represented  of  a  neh 
vermilion.  — P<D. 

8 


m 


GOLDEN-CKESTED  WREN. 


kind,  of  «mall  flies,  which  it  frequently  ««'*««  °"7'"8-J,V;i,f^^ 
gtUl  farther  north  to  breed,  it  ih  «eldon,  seen  m  '  «":^y';3',X 
Mftv  to  October:  but  is  then  numerous  in  orchardn, teddinff  aiiioii^ uio 
Wve8  of  Ue  apple-trees,  which,  at  that  Hea^on,  are  m  ested  with  vaat 
nrbert  d' :,3,  black-;inged  insects     It«  chirp  is  i-bl«;-«^^ 
louder  Uian  tliat  of  a  mouse  5  though,  «;h«'«  f, '''^^^'^J^^f  "'''^ 
tr  l.nvn  !i  variety  of  sprffht  V  notes.    It  builds  its  nest  irequenuy  ui 
t  branchrot'L" eve^^een!  covers  it  e"tir«ly  rou-U^^^ 
hole   on  one  side  for  entrance,    orming  »»  outwardly  of  inoss^^^^^^^ 
liohpn^  and  lininjr  it  warmly  with  down.    The  tenialo    ays  six  or 
iL^e^S  p.re"vhito,with  afew  minute  specks  of  dull  red.     Dr. 
&.r,^n  whoHO  authority  Uiis  is  given,  observes  "  It  «--«  toj se- 
quent the  oak-trees  in  preference  to  all  odiers         Jjy^  ^J7i,7" 
once  seen  a  brood  of  these  m  a  large  oak,  n  »^«  ''"JJf :  "'  ^„etTm 
the  whole  little  family  of  which,  a«  soon  as  able,  were  '"  P*^^''?™'^^ 
motion  and  gave  great  pleasure  to  many  who  viewed  tl«em.     ine 
nest  of  on"  nfthese  has  also  been  made  in  a  garden  on  a  fir-tree;  it 
wi  composed  of  mos«,  the  opening  on  one  stde,  in  shape  roundish 
nSed  witli  a  downy  suUnce,  fixed  -'^f  ^-^^  fiXren  bl 
is  said  to  sing  very  melodiously,  very  like  tlie  Common  W ^^n,  dui 
weaker."*     In  Pennsylvania,  tJiey  continue  witJ.  us  from  October  to 
December,  and  sometimes  to  .Tnnuary.  ,     „  „„^  „:„  i„„hp8  and 

'The  Go  den-crestod  Wren  is  four  inches  long,  and  six  ipches  ana 
a  half  in  extent ;  back,  a  fine  yellow  olive ;  hmd  head  and  «'des  of  ^e 
neck  inclininirtoash;alineof  white  parses  round  the  Jrontlet,  ex- 
LdVgove  and  beyond  the  eye  on  each  sido  ;  above  this,  another 
Une  of  B^iJ  of  deei  black  parses  in  the  -"le  'nanner,  extending 
farther  behind:  between  these  two  strips  of  black,  lies  a  bed  ot 
SSTv  eoUlenVellow,  which,  being  parted  a  little,  exposes  another  of 
frr^^'hrflame  color,  ;xte„ding  over  tJie  whole  "PP^^^^  P^  ^^f 
when  the  little  warbler  flits  among  the  ^/ancheMn  pu«ui^o^^^^^^^^ 
hfi  onens  and  shuts  this  go  den  ornament  with  great  adroitness,  wnicn 

poducS  a  stSg  anf  elegant  eff-ect ;  1--' -"^f  .^i^n'wi 
^  •  *=  „f  ui„,.ir .  hnlow  tlip  eve    8  a  rounding  spot  01  dull  wniie , 
C  thf  upp«^^^^^^^^^^  of  the  ei-feathers  runs  a  Ime 

of  black  accompanied  by  another  of  white,  from  the  lower  mandible, 
breS^UffhtcrX  color;  sides  under  the  wings  and  vent,  the  same; 
w£Sy    edged  exteriorly  with  yellow  olive;    greater  wing- 
^oS,  tS  witli  white,  immediately  below  which  a  «Pot  "f  bk^^^ 
extends  over  several  of  the  secondaries;  tail,  pretty  long,  forked, 
dSkvexterTor  vanes  broadly  edged  with  yellow  olive;    egs  brown; 
feet  anrSs,  yellow;  bill,^black,  slender,  straight,  evidentljr  of  the 
EX«fom;,V  upper  mandible  being  notched  at  the  point,  and 
furnished  at  the  base  w  th  bristles,  that  reach  halt  way  to  its  poini , 
but  what  seems  singular  and  peculiar  to  this  little  bird,  the  nostril  on 
each  side  fs  covered  by  a  single  feather,  that  ^ ^h  re^^'fjf  .^^f 
antennL  of  some  butterflies,  and  is  half  tihe  length    of  the    bilL 
Buffon  has  taken  notice  of  the  same  in  the  European.    Inside  of  ^e 
mn  th   a  reddish  orange ;  claws,  extremely  sharp,  the  hind  one  tM 
K^Sl     In  tfie  female^  the  tint«'  and  markings  are  nearly  the  sanie» 


•    ShmmifiM.  n. 


fi09. 


HOUSE  vr\t:n. 


87 


only  tho  crown  or  crest  Ih  palo  yoUow.  These  birds  are  niimeroHs 
in  Ponnflylvania,  in  the  month  of  October,  frequenting  bushes  that 
overhang  streams  of  water,  aiders,  briers,  and  particularly  apple-trflcs, 
where  uiey  are  eminently  useful  in  destroying  great  numbers  of 
ioflecta,  and  are  at  tliat  season  extremely  fat 


HOUSE  WREN— SYLVIA  DOMESTIOA  —  Fio.  31. 

Motacilla  domestica,  (Regulus  rufui,)  i^nrtram,  291.  —  Peale't  Museum,  No.  7283. 
TROOLODYrES  (EOOJV.  — Viiiixot. 

Troglodytes  oedon,  Bonap.   Si/nop.  p.  93,  nnd  note  p.  139.  —  JVortWn  ZooMi. 
*  p.  316.  — The  House  Wren,  ^«(/.pl.  83.   Om.  Biog.wian. 

This  well-known  and  familiar  bird  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  about 
the  middle  of  April,  and,  about  tho  8th  or  10th  of  May,  begms  to 
build  its  nest,  sometimes  in  the  wooden  cornice  under  the  caves,  or  m 
a  hollow  cherry-tree ;  but  most  commonly  in  small  boxes,  fixed  on  tlie 
top  of  a  pole,  in  or  near  the  garden,  to  which  he  is  extremely  partial, 
for  the  great  number  of  caterpillars  and  other  larviK  with  which  it 
constantly  supplies  him.  If  all  tliese  conveniences  arc  wanting,  he 
will  even  put  up  with  an  old  hat,  nailed  on  the  weather  boards,  wiUi  a 
small  hole  for  entrance ;  and,  if  even  this  be  denied  him,  he  will  find 
some  hole,  corner,  or  crevice  about  the  house,  bam,  or  stable,  rather 
than  abandon  the  dwellings  of  man.  In  the  month  of  June,  a  mc>wer 
hung  up  his  coat  under  a  shed,  near  a  barn;  two  or  three  days 
elapsed  before  he  had  occasion  to  put  it  on  again;  thrusting  Ins  arm 
up  tho  sleeve,  he  found  it  completely  filled  with  some  rubbish,  as  he 
expressed  it,  and,  on  extracting  tlie  whole  mass,  found  it  to  be  Uie 
neat  of  a  wren  completely  finished,  and  lined  with  a  large  quantity 
of  feathers.  In  his  retreat,  be  was  followed  by  the  little  forlorn  pro- 
prietors, who  scolded  him  with  great  vehemence  for  thus  ruining  the 
whole  economy  of  their  houseliold  affairs.  The  twigs  with  which  the 
outward  parts  of  the  nest  are  constructed  are  short  and  crooked,  that 
they  may  tlie  better  hook  in  witli  one  another,  and  the  hole  or 
entrance  is  so  much  shut  up,  to  prevent  the  intrusion  of  snakes  or 
cats,  that  it  appears  almost  impossible  tlie  body  of  the  bird  could  be 
admitted ;  within  this  is  a  layer  of  fine  dried  stalks  of  grass,  and 
lastly  feathers.  The  eggs  are  six  or  seven,  and  sometimes  nine,  ot  a 
red  purplish  flesh  color,  innumerable  fine  grains  of  that  tint  being 
thickly  sprinkled  over  the  whole  egg.  They  generally  raiae  two 
broods  in  a  season ;  tho  first  about  the  beginning  of  June,  the  second 
in  July.* 

•  The  Wrens  fiffurcd  on  this  plate,  and,  indeed,  all  those  of  this  northern  con- 
tinent, seem  to  be  great  favorites  with  the  country  people,  to  wh.xh  distinction, 
their  utility  in  gardens  in  destroying  caterpUlars  and  noxious  insects^  their  «pngMiy, 


their  utility  in  gardens  m  destroying  caierpuiara  auu  iio*>"u»  m.»-».  -~- -r-orvj 
social  m^ner,  with  their  ■*»«  and  neat  appearance,  fully  enUUe  them,    raey 


88 


HOUSE  WKEN. 


Thi3  littte  bird  has  a  sUong  antipathy  to  cata ;  ^J?  ^^^^^  f^^^^^ 

™;  buUt,  and  two  egga  '"^  "i  °^^;'' "turins  too  far  into  the 
u  well  u  the  room  door,  the  f™''=  ^'^gSlS  ,ho  had  planted 
room  to  reeonnoilre,  wa.  "P""?  "I^VJl^Xf  cMld  be  given,  was 
SJercStr^rhr&''.«Sof  :^M  de.e.S  hin.,el,;  I 

each  other ;  and  both  those  now  'g^'e^  have  ocen  doubtful.    The  colors 

Try,  from  wU,  however.  Uk,  h"Vt?^!*'r,ms,^^^^^  shades,  intermingled 

ofthe  plumage  are  brown,  ;f't^^^?f"Jlotche8ff  yellowish  white.  They  make 
occasio'nally  with  spots,  and  fXlP^ni°auce;  all  those  wi^  »'''«'- 

very  comraotlious  nesU,  with  a  S'»g'«  «°'f^^'^^'j_  jL  ,,"  .  and  lay  at  a  time  from 
Suited  are  very  pK.lific.  breed  mc.eha^  ^„,,  p,„,,  ; 

twelve  to  sixteen  eggs  ;  *ey  are  always  to  oe  me         ,  ^^  maturity.    That 

as  their  numerous  broods  would  ead  us  to  inter  ii  a.  ^  ^^^^^  convenient 

of  this  country,  though  not  so  tame  f^ '° '^f  ^^^d'^i^^e  by  a  window,  or  above  a 
breeding-place,  is  extremely  fan^'l'^'- Xr'"  jf  ,o^s?s  du"«'g  ^''^  "'g*"' '"  ''°'^' 
'^.^^^^^Zl^:::^^'^^^-^^-^-'  .»ni.r.vsev^en  or  eight 


should  enter  first     These  *'«  l'^"' r^^^^;^^!  ^  bulk.    Another  curious 

portion  of  animal  heat  P°«^f  «^  "^f^'l'^^yi;  ^eT^^^  n««l^  which  arc 

particiJar  in  the  economy  of  ^''eso  hUle  birds,  is  we  manj,  ^^^  ^^^^^  j^^^^ 

Lilt,  or.  as  they  are  sometimes  '='^'«^'^^f,^Xa£sTs  those  intended  for  incuba- 

80  cirefilly,  or  in  such  pivate  ^^^-^^  "*^Sed   hXbuilt  state.    1  have  never 

tion,  and  are  even  someumes  Icll  m  »"  »"fi~J  Zk  of  the  male  bird  only,  or 

beei  able  to  satisfy  myself  ^»'f'l^'^^fy'!|'Vhetire?  really  commenced  with  the 

of  both  conjointly  j  or  to  as^.^'a  "  J.«'^  Xces     THie  r.nerally-exposed  situation 

view  of  breeding  in  them,  ?fjf/ ™°'''"f, JS*,'"  chosen  lor  those  that  have  young, 
in  which  they  are  placed,  with  the  concealeaspol  en  ,^  j,c  a  greater 

would  argue  against  the  ^'-^^V  ^Iw  £  w  lire  o  «^^^^^^^  They 

reasoning  power  than  most  people  ^°"'^  )f  „77e^  voung  Notwithstanding  thefr 
may.  perTiaps,  be  the  first  instinctive  efforts  ot  «ne  youiiK  ^^^.^^^^^ 

3  rulk,^and  tender-looking  frame  J^y^'^J^^/ffJ^  he  necessity  of  food,  they 
winters  of  this  country  5  driven  nearer  to  our  house^^^^^^  ^^  ^^^^^  ^         f 

seem  to  reioice  in  "hard,  clear  fros.s.n^ng  mej-'J  »»  '^  ,^1^  ^^en  disturbed 
brushwooJ,  or  sounding,  m  ^P'd    "ecess  «„  the  r  n^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^ 

by  any  unwelcome  visitor.  A  «'"y  f""  ' '"  *  ^  ;„  ii,e  unseen  ruggedncss  of 
Jnusement  with  boys;  and  ""^jy  ^^^^Pj^'^J^^^  f^^J"  d,  a  hole,  or  tEfck  heap  of 
the  ground  when  in  pursuit.  At  »"y,^""^Xwrd  where  it  will  either  remain  quiet 
.ticfs,  will  form  a  refuge  f"'',,^';!*/"  7 ''^d^  'Jay^^ll  creep  and  run,  escaping 

ktTS^;a\^;;^sr^"ho7r^^ 

possassion.  .     „,.;,-_  .„  ,i,»  already-described  North  American 

•^We  must  here  mention,  m  f '1'*'°"  *«  ^^^^^^^^  be  long 

,necies  one  figured  by  Mr.  Ai^lubon,  an(yie.licaiea  w  w  y^.^^ubon  has 

,    rCl^redb'y  the  British  ornilholop^^^^  sh/oe,  form  color 

killed  three  specimens  of  it  'n|l"X"re^Carolina  Wren,  and  forms  a  kind  of 


r  IJM  iiveiintsiH  oi  ciUicr 


„-  u:^  II  __  gn. 


w 


f 

1 

1 

'^''"^^Oi-'u'hniAiri 


THE  GYR  FALCON 


HOUSE  WREN. 


89 


watched  him  carefully  for  several  days.  A  rii-st  he  sung  with  great 
vivacity  for  an  hour  or  so,  but,  becoming  un«asy,  went  off  for  half  an 
hour ;  on  his  return,  he  chanted  again  as  before,  went  to  the  top  of  the 
house,  stable,  and  weeping-willow,  that  she  might  hear  him;  but, 
seeing  no  appearance  of  her,  he  returned  once  more,  visited  the  nest, 
ventured  cautiously  into  the  window,  gazed  about  wiUi  suspicious 
looks,  his  voice  sinking  to  a  low,  melancholy  note,  as  he  stretched  his 
little  neck  about  in  every  direction.  Returning  to  the  box,  he  seemed 
for  some  minutes  at  a  loss  what  to  do,  and  soon  after  went  off,  as  I 
thought,  altogetlier,  for  I  saw  him  no  more  that  day.  Towards  the 
afternoon  of  the  second  day,  he  again  made  his  appearance,  accom- 
panied with  a  new  female,  who  seemed  exceedingly  timorous  and  shy, 
and  who,  after  great  hesitation,  entered  the  box ;  at  this  moment  the 
little  widower  or  bridegroom  seemed  as  if  he  would  warble  out  his 
very  life  with  ecstasy  of  joy.  After  remaining  about  half  a  minute  in, 
they  both  flew  off,  but  returned  in  a  few  minutes,  and  instantly  began 
to  carry  out  the  eggs,  feathere,  and  some  of  the  sticks,  supplying  the 
place  of  the  two  latter  with  materials  of  the  same  sort,  and  ultimately 
succeeded  in  raising  a  brood  of  seven  young,  all  of  which  escaped  in 
safety. 

The  immense  number  of  insects  which  this  sociable  little  bird 
removes  from  the  garden  and  fruit-trees,  ought  to  endear  him  to  every 
cultivator,  even  if  he  had  nothing  else  to  recommend  him ;  but  his 
notes,  loud,  sprightly,  tremulous,  and  repeated  every  few  seconds 
with  great  animation,  are  extremely  agreeable.  In  tiie  heat  of  sum- 
mer, families  in  the  country  often  dine  under  the  piazza  adjoining 
green  canopies  of  mantling  grape  vines,  gourds,  &c.,  while  overhead 
the  trilling  vivacity  of  the  Wren,  mingled  with  the  warbling  mimicry 
of  the  Mocking  Bird,  and  the  distant,  softened  sounds  of  numerous 
other  songsters,  that  we  shall  hereafter  introduce  to  the  reader's 
acquaintance,  form  a  soul-soothing  and  almost  heavenly  music, 
breathing  peace,  innocence,  and  rural  repose.  The  European  who 
judges  of  the  song  of  this  species  by  that  of  his  own  Wren,  (M.  trog- 
lodytes,) will  do  injustice  to  the  former,  as,  in  strength  of  tone  and 
execution,  it  is  far  superior,  as  well  as  the  bird  is  in  size,  figure,  and 
elegance  of  markings,  to  the  European  one.  Its  manners  are  also 
different;  its  sociability  greater.  It  is  no  underground  inhabitant; 
its  nest  is  differently  constructed,  the  number  of  its  eggs  fewer ;  it  is 
also  migratory,  and  has  the  tail  and  bill  much  longer.  Its  food  is 
insects  and  caterpillars,  and,  while  supplying  tlie  wants  of  its  young, 
it  destroys,  on  a  moderate  calculation,  many  hundreds  a  day,  and 
greatly  circumscribes  the  ravages  of  these  vermin.  It  is  a  bold  and 
insolent  bird  against  those  of  th.e  Titmouse  and  Woodpecker  kind 
tliat  venture  to  build  within  its  jurisdiction ;  attacking  them  witliout 
hesitation,  though  twice  its  size,  and  generally  forcing  them  to  de- 
camp. I  have  known  him  drive  a  pair  of  Swallows  from  their  newly- 
formed  nest,  and  take  immediate  possession  of  the  premises,  in  which 
his  female  also  laid  her  eggs,  and  reared  her  young.  Even  the  Blue- 
Bird,  who  claims  an  equal  and  sort  of  hereditary  right  to  tlie  box  in 
the  garden,  when  attacked  by  this  little  impertinent,  soon  relinquishes 
the  contest^  the  mild  placidness  of  his  disposition  not  being  a  match 


.if 

'I' 

i  w 


t  * 


90 


IK  USE  WREN. 


for  the  fiery  impetuosUy  of  Ju.  little  a^^^^^^     fS^llfrqu^bJlSf, 
own  species  who  settle  and  build  near  him,  ne  n  i  ji.^  ^^^^^ 

and  wLn  their  re^Pe^t^J^Sl;    When  the  young  are  hatched,  the 
powers  of  song  to  excel  the  other.     WMn  me  ^      B  j^  jg 

Krry  and  press  oft.usiness  leave  no  time  for  d^^^^^^^      ^^^  ^^^^^ 
tJiat  idleness  is  Uie  mother  of  m^scm;*;^    in  ^^^  ^^^^^^  -^  ^j^^ 

to  the  country ;  they  are  to  be  heard  9"  "'^^..'r*'       .  enerev-    Scarce 
1st  central  Vrt«  of  our  ^^^J-J^-^^-l  wf  ^fi^  of  them 

a  house  or  cottage  m  the  "^ountiy  is  witiioui  ai  ^Hen,  orchard, 

aiid  sometimes  two;  but  unless  where  th^re  IS  a  la^^^^  ,^^^  ^^^ 

and  numerous  ouUiouses,  it  is  not  often  the  c-^e  "i  ^  ^^^ 

pair  reside   near  the  ^^^^.f  °^„7?"^a  to  Siis  little^ird,  that  "the 
[ealousie..    It  has  been  said  by  a  triend  to  mis  im  '  ^^ 

isculent  vegetables  of/  who^e  garden  may^^erh^^^^^^^ 
from  the  depredations  of  df  ere  t  speoes  o^  in«^«J^  ^  ^^^  ^^  ^^^. 
pairof  these  smd  birds;- and  pro^^^^^^^^  ^,        ,„, 

"Z^rJT^l^e^onZt  be>ftld  but  from  a  total  change 
fnte  very  nature  and  disposition  of  Aes^^^^^^^  ^ 

Havingseennoaccurate  description  01^^^^^         Bartram  and  Mr. 

publication,  I  have  confined  "^l/f^lf^^ZZtof  the  existence  of 

feale;  but  though  Europeans  are  not  ignorant  ^^ 

this  bird,  they  have  considered  ^t,  as  usual,  mereiy^as        g         ^^^^^ 

from  the  original  stock  (JV/.  g^^l^d  benTJonn  of  the  bill,.h8 
they  axe,  as  usual,  mjstake" ,  the  lenjtn  an  ^^^^.^^^  ^  ^^^^ 

notes,  migratory  habits,  long  tail,  ana  rea  ^^{,8, 
difierences.  .  .    ,       ^  ^j^    United  States,  in  all 

The  House  Wrea  ^"^^^^^"pe^sXonia  in  September ;  I 
of  which  It  IS  migratory.    It  leaves  J-ennjy    ^^     j     ;„„  of  October. 

have  sometimes,  though  rarely,  seen  ^^^^^^^^J^^-'^lrters  in  extent, 
It  is  four  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  hve  ana  inren  ^.^j^ 

the  whole  upper  parts  of  a  deep  bry  transv^^^^^^^^ 
black,  except  the  head  '^"d  neck,  whi^h  is  pjam     W        ^^ 
cheeks,  light  clay  color;  ^elly  «^nd  v^^d  wtS  blaTk ;  legs  and  feet, 
and  white;  tail,  Ipng'^rt  w  Xhtlv Timred,  sharp  pointed,  and 

The  female  differs  very  littie  in  plumage  from  the  male. 


*  Bakton's  Fragments,  part  i. 


S2. 


It 


iim 


BLACK-CAPPED  TITMOUSE. 


91 


BLACK-CAPPED  TITMOUSE.  —  PARUS  ATRICAPILLUS. - 

Fio.  32. 

Parus  atricapillus,  Linn.  Syst.  i.  341,  6.—  Gmel.  Syst.  i.  1008.  — La  Mesange  k 
tCte  noire  de  Canada,  Buffon,  v.  408.  — Canada  Titmouse,  A  ret.  Zool.  ii.  No. 
3W.  —  Lath.  Syn.  iv.  542, 9.  —  PeaZe's  Museum,  No.  7380. 

PARVS  ATRICAPILLUS.  — Umnsvi.* 
Parus  atricapillus,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  100,  —  North.  Zool.  p.  226. 

Tins  is  one  of  our  resident  birds,  active,  noisy,  and  restless ;  hardy 
beyond  any  of  his  size,  braving  the  severest  cold  of  our  continent  as 
far  north  as  the  country  round  Hudson's  Bay,  and  always  appearing 
most  lively  in  the  coldest  weather.  The  males  have  a  variety  of  very 
BprightJy  notes,  which  cannot,  indeed,  be  called  a  son^  but  rather  a 
lively,  frequently  repeated,  and  often  varied  twitter.  They  are  most 
usually  seen  during  tlie  fall  and  winter,  when  they  leave  the  depths 
of  the  woods,  and  approach  nearer  to  the  scenes  of  cultivation.  At 
such  seasons,  they  abound  amons:  evergreens,  feeding  on  the  seeds  of 
the  pine-tree ;  they  are  also  fond  of  sunflower  seeds,  and  associate  in 
parties  of  six,  eight,  or  more,  attended  by  the  two  species  of  Nuthatch 
already  described,  the  Crested  Titmouse,  Brown  Creeper,  and  small 
Spotted  Woodpecker ;  the  whole  forming  a  very  nimble  and  restless 
company,  whose  food,  manners,  and  dispositions  are  pretty  much  alike. 
About  the  middle  of  April  they  begin  to  build,  choosing  the  deserted 
hole  of  a  Squirrel  or  Woodpecker,  and  sometimes,  with  incredible  la- 
bor, digging  out  one  for  themselves.  The  female  lays  six  white  eggs, 
marked  witli  minute  specks  of  red ;  the  first  brood  appear  about  flie 
beginning  of  June,  and  the  second  towards  the  end  of  July  ;  the  whole 
of  the  family  continue  to  associate  together  during  winter.  They 
traverse  the  woods  in  regular  progression,  from  tree  to  tree,  tumbling, 
chattering,  and  hanging  from  tlie  extremities  of  the  branches,  examin- 
ing about  the  roots  of  the  leaves,  buds,  and  crevices  of  the  bark,  for 
insects  and  their  larvsE-.  They  also  frequently  visit  the  orchards, 
particularly  in  fall,  the  sides  of  the  barn  and  barn  yard,  in  the  same 
pursuit,  trees  in  such  situations  being  generally  much  infested  witii 
insects.  We,  therefore,  with  pleasure,  rank  this  little  bird  among  the 
farmer's  friends,  and  trust  our  rural  citizens  will  always  recognize  him 
as  such. 

This  species  has  a  very  extensive  range ;  it  has  been  found  on  the 
western  coast  of  America,  as  far  north  as  lat  G2°  ;  it  is  common  at 
Hudson's  Bay,  and  most  plentiful  there  during  winter,  as  it  then  ap- 
proaches tlie  settlements  in  quest  of  food.  Protected  by  a  remarkably 
thick  covering  of  long,  soft,  downy  plumage,  it  braves  the  severest 
cold  of  those  northern  regions. 

•  This  is  very  closely  allied  to  the  Parus  palustris,  the  Marsh  Titmouse  of  Eu- 
rope;  but  it  is  exclusik^ely  American,  and  ranges  extensively  to  the  north.  Th« 
authors  of  the  Northern  Zooloey  mention  them  as  one  of  the  most  common  birds  in 
the  Fur  countries ;  a  family  inliabits  almost  every  thicket. —Eo. 


I' 5       .  Ml 


02  CRESTED   TITMOUSE. 

and  a  half  in  e^tenV,  throat,  and  whole  uppe^^  fSiMigular  patch  of 
ridge  of  the  neck,  black ;  between  tiieseunes  a       ^        ^^^^^ 

white,  ending  at  the  ""f 'VVnWd  or  cinereo^^^^  slic^htfy  t  nged  with 
rest  of  the  upper  parte,  lead  "ijL'^Teasrbelly  and  vent,  yellowish 
brown;  wings,  edged  ^^VSaA  hzel  The  male  and  female  are 
S^'S  ^r'Sr&X  te  plS  rJn'ders  any  further  descrip- 

^Tu^^Ss  of  ^^^^i^^^^y^^i-:.  jjerti^^tht: 

for  suspecting  them  to  be  the  same-        ,  ^       ^^^  ^^^ 

These  birds  sometimes  fight  vioentiy  with  eacn, 
known  to  attack  young  and  «^;^^kly  birds  tha^^^^^^^  .^  ^^ 

ance  always  direcwtf^evr  blows  agamBt^f^^     ^t^  ^.       g     ^  ^^ 

woods  one  day,  I  foU^^''  Havin?  shot  him  from  off  the  top  of  a  very 
whose  notes  surprised  me.    having  snoiii  -^j^     i^^g  ^nd 

tall  tree,  I  found  it  to  be  ^^^  B^,^^^'^^^^^^^^^^  evidently,  at 

deep  indentation  in  ^«.  «™™i^ed  but  was  now  perfecti 
rhettTrthrcrge^^^^^^  be  owmg^to  ttiis  circum. 

stance,  I  cannot  pretend  to  decide. 


CRESTED  TITMOUSE. -PARUS  BICOLOR—Fio.  33. 

Pan.s  bicoK  Lin^,  Byst.  i.  ^^/-^.^^^rr^^-ifct^  ^.^if  "^^lf:- 
461._Toupet  Titmouse,  Arct.  /'OOl.  \.  i^o.  ^jt 

Peaie»  Museum,  No.  7364. 

PARVS  BICOLOR.  —  Utf^xvi. 

P.™,  W.olo„  B»ap.  ^.  p.  '»»;^-^',S""'  ■'""•'"■"  ''"'■  ■"■  "'^  ""■ 

more  mwiciJ,  and  more  •X"'^^J,,'^°"f  „'SSble  variety  in  the 
neverU.ele»s,  a  sprightly  bir^  P°f =3„'jaer  tlian  the  squeaking  of 

«  Hudson  Bay  Tilinous^  ^rS/'reSrdmg  the  British  Titmice,  particularly 

t  I  have  frequently  heard  ^^''Y  l^.hXx^ce  it  to  any  authentic  source;  it 

hJ  Greater,  bilt  1  have  never  been  able  to  trace  u  ?        also  been  repre- 


the  Greater,  but  1  have  "ejer  oceu  «ble  to  ir^cc  ,        ^^^^  ^^^^      ^,^. 

is  perhaps.  exag_6erated     Feed-n.  o    carr.     wh      „  y.  __  „„_,  ,.  ^  . 


Mr  Audubon  asserts  it  as  a 


ien^ted  to'do,''^  in.a  wild  state Y.  ir^X'^l^seen  P:^^/<;;-"eV^^^^^ 

fact,  with  reg.^jrU  to  ine  r.  mcvlw.    ^.r.  .-es-..   - 

.—ED. 


U  ■ 


CRESTED  TITMOUSE. 


93 


gives  It  a  smart  and  not  inelegant  appearance.  Its  focid  corresponds 
with  that  of  the  foregoing ;  it  possesses  considerable  strength  in  the 
muscles  of  its  neck,  and  is  almost  perpetually  digging  into  acorns,  nuts, 
crevices,  and  rotten  parts  of  the  bark,  after  the  TarvBB  of  insects.  It  is 
also  a  constant  resident  here.  When  shot  at  and  wounded,  it  fights 
with  great  spirit  When  confined  to  a  cage,  it  soon  becomes  familiar, 
and  will  subsist  on  hemp  seed,  cherry  stones,  apple  seeds,  and  hickory 
nuts,  broken  and  thrown  into  it  However,  if  the  cage  be  made  of 
willows,  and  the  bird  not  much  hurt,  he  will  soon  make  his  way  through 
them.  The  great  concavity  of  the  lower  side  of  the  wings  and  tail  of 
tliis  genus  of  birds,  is  a  strong  characteristic,  and  well  suited  to  their 
short,  irregular  flight 

This  species  is  also  found  over  the  whole  United  States,  but  is 
most  numerous  towards  the  north.  It  extends  also  to  Hudson's  Bay, 
and,  according  to  Latham,  is  found  in  Denmark,  and  in  the  southern 
parts  of  Greenland,  where  it  is  called  Avhigursak.  If  so,  it  probably 
inhabits  the  continent  of  NortJi  America,  from  sea  to  sea. 

The  Crested  Titmouse  is  six  inches  long,  and  seven  inches  and  a 
half  m  extent  The  whole  upper  parts,  a  dull  cinereous  or  lead  color, 
except  tlie  front,  which  is  black,  tinged  with  reddish;  whole  lower 
parts,  dirty  white,  except  the  sides  under  the  wings,  which  are  reddish 
orange ;  legs  and  feet,  light  blue ;  bill,  black,  short,  and  pretty  strong ; 
wing-feathers,  relieved  with  dusky  on  tlieir  inner  vanes ;  eye,  dark 
hazel;  lores,  white;  the  head,  elegantly  ornamented  with  a  high, 
pointed,  almost  upright  crest ;  tail,  a  little  forked,  considerably  con- 
cave below,  and  of  the  same  color  above  as  the  back;  tips  of  the  wings, 
dusky ;  tongue,  very  short,  truncate,  and  ending  in  three  or  four  sharp 
points.  The  female  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  male  by  her 
plumage,  unless  in  its  being  something  duller,  for  both  are  equally 
marked  with  reddish  orange  on  the  sides  under  the  wings,  which  some 
foreigners  have  made  the  distinguishing  mark  of  tlie  male  alone. 

The  nest  is  built  in  a  hollow  tree,  Sie  cavity  often  dug  by  itself; 
the  female  begins  to  lay  early  in  May ;  the  eggs  are  usually  six,  pure 
white,  with  a  few  very  small  specks  of  red  near  the  great  end.  The 
whole  family,  in  the  month  of  July,  hunt  together,  the  parents  keeping 
up  a  continual  chatter,  as  if  haranguing  and  directing  their  inexpe- 
rienced brood.* 


I 


*  This  beautiful  and  aUractive  race  of  birds,  tho  genuine  Titmice,  have  a  geo- 
ijrapiiical  distribution  over  the  whole  world, — South  America,  New  Holland,  and 
the  islands  in  the  South  Pacific  Ocean,  cxcepte<l.  In  the  latter  countries,  they  soejn 
represented  by  the  genus  Pardalolus,  yet,  however,  very  limited  in  numbers.  They 
are  more  numerous  in  temperate  and  even  northern  climates,  than  near  the  tropics  ; 
the  greater  numbers,  both  as  to  individuals  and  species,  extend  over  Europe. 
In  tnis  country,  when  the  want  of  foliage  allows  us  to  examine  their  manners, 
they  form  one  "of  the  most  interesting  of  our  winter  visitants.  I  call  \\\em  insilajas 
only  ;  for  during  summer  they  are  occupied  with  the  duties  of  incubation  in  retire- 
ment, amid  the  ilcpths  of  the  most  solitary  forests,  and  only  at  the  commencement 
of  winter,  or  during  its  rigors,  become  more  domesticated,  and  flock  in  small  parties, 
tho  amount  of  their  broods,  to  our  gardens,  and  the  vicinity  of  our  houses  ;  several 
species  together,  and  generally  in  company  with  the  Gold-crested  Wrens.  The 
activity  of  their  motions  in  search  of  food,  or  in  disnule  with  one  another;  the  va- 
riety of  their  cries,  from  something  very  shrill  ana  timid,  to  loud  and  wild;  their 
sometimes  elegant,  sometimes  grotes(|ue  attitudes,  contrasted  by  the  difference  of 
form ;  and  the  varied  flights,  from  the  short  dart  and  jerk  of  the  Marsh  and  Cole 


I  I 


<>> 


g^  WINTER  WREN. 

WINTER  WREN.-SYLVIA  TROGLDDYTES.-F.o.  34. 

Motacilla  troglodytes  (  Linn.  -  Peak's  Museum.  No.  7284 
TROOLODrTKS  HYFMALia  1  -  Vi.illot 

sometimes  remammg  witli  lis  all  Uie  ';'"^A™"„„    piai„.    I„  size, 

:ss.ir«iti'"i.Te%'p-''«"-^^^ 

\.  ,,  .1  vvrnn  lo  ilu-  striniTV  succcssive  line  of  the  Long-tailed 
Titmouse,  or  C,oUl.crcs  ed  Wren  o  t ^^  S Inh  the  notice  of  the  ornithologist 
one,  -  are  objeots  wh.c  i  have,  ''";7;'^;'.' ^''^jhe^  i„  their  natural  abode..  The 
who  has  svmetin.es  allowed  l.unsclf  I    exd  n  mc  ^^^^^^  ^,„i  ,hort,  the  legs 

form  of  the  diflerenl  ^f  ^'^^^'f  '^"^^at^n'cl  ve  inotio.,,  mul  uniting  strength  for 
comparatively  strong,  the  «'"'« 'f",\^"'",e„  wood,  in  search  of  their  favor,  e 
the  removal  of  loose  bark,  moss,  "f^^*^"J°'7/i,,is 'country,  (one  of  which  will 
food,  insecu  ;  it,  however,  -.-"^* '" 'r'^Xu^dl" ^^^  fitmice,  (P.  rnudatus 

form  a  separate  subdivision,)  the  1-°"?;  "'^"  J,  ^^..^.j  ^hape  of  the  tail ;  and  it 
and  bia,-Jiic,is,)  in  the  weaker  frame  "".^^'""^ '^^^^^^  one  in  woods,  of  a 

may  be  remarked,  that  >>'>?h'''<^«':,'"^^*',,f  "to  eralK  hung  near  the  extremity  of 
loi.:nhe..ed  form  wid  '><'='""f"  J"'H  7;;t,^^f ""'o^^'^  .<^^^  the  other  balanced 

a  branch  belong.ng  to  some  thick  ^'^y'.fP"'';-,-^  ^Varblers  ;  while  all  the  other 
and  waving  among  -e.K  -ke  some  «;'  J-  «J>''^^ifi7;,f„„  x^m  acquainted,  choose 

figured  by  Temminck,  the  tail  ^^^;;,'",'^^\  "J^^*'  ,hc  „iost  natural.  When  the  sea- 
insects  are  not  their  only  food.  Iwigh  perhaps  the  m^^^^^^  ^anivorous,  and  will 

son  becomes  too  in^l'^'n™\'^"'j'r.n7nSaloes  with  trpoSltry  and  pigs.    Some 

plunder  the  farm  yards,  or  ««\f'«'"  f^^.f'.f^  "^\^d  Titmice,)  as  to  come 

f  have  scenic  do-nesl.ca.ed    t he  c  m..,on  W^  ^,;J,^  ^.^„g„,d^ 

regularly  during  the  storm  to  "'c  w'"^"^^'  'Xros  of  lleah  or  fat.  During  winter, 
thfy  bec^ome  v?ry  do-  e,  and  wjl  also  cat  P---^^f^;^,«';,„J,,,_  „,  hay  a^d  corn 
they  roost  in  holes  o(  trees  or  walls,  ^^ves  "i   ui.  downwards  or 

ricks.  When  not  in  holes,  they  \';"7'"  ^"''C^,''.?^  do  ,bt,  he  same  individual)  has 
outwards.  A  common  Blue  Tomtit  (and.  I  |,'a^^  '"  7"°''  „,oieciinK  capitals  of  a 
boosted  for  throe  years  in  the  same  spo  ,  unde   one  ol  '}«  P^^J^^^'je^  P^^^e  a„d 

pillar,  by  the  si.le  of  my  own  fr°n\''r.^- ,J  ^'X  ribution  There  are, however, 
Eleas(ng!as  might^ave  bee.,  exge^^^^^^^^  '.p,      ,„. 

one  or  two  except.o..s  .n  those  "S"'''"  "y  "'■  .  different  tints  of  olive,  sometimes 
eral  shades  are  black,  gray,  ^^.te,  blue    and  ^meren^  t  n  ^^^^^  ^^^^ 

reddish  brown  ;  and  m  these,  when  the  brightes^  colors  oc^  ^^^  ^^^^ 

they  are  so  blended,  as  no    to  be  ha  d  or  f^^     ^^      ^^^  ^  thick  and 

""^AiiiiSSr^.  that  this  ^pf^f^^z^z^;^:^^^ 

for  the  purpose  in  tlie  hardest  wood  ^l\&;f/Vf  the  Ky  Woodpecker,  or  some 
it  is  more  iVequentlv  contc.tcd  wUh  the  ''"'^  "' ^^J^t  the  Crested  Titmouse, 
other  small  bird  of  that  genus     ^e  can  hardly  conceive  tt,a    ^^^  ^^^^     ^^^ 

or  indeed  any  of  the  race.  h^^J"™^\*"iif,fthf  individual's  bulk,  is  not  formed  on 
though  very  powerful,  when  ^"-^pared  w  th  tl.c  ma.  ,^.^^^  ^^^  ^^^^ 

X,'j|^.ed  of  L  scales  and  cast-off  exuvia  o«  snakes. -Ed. 


WINTER  WREN. 


OS 


'.M.  troglodytes)  than  any  other  spccieg  wo  liave.  During  hia  residence 
here,  ho  fre]ucnt8  the  projecting  banks  of  crooks,  old  roots,  decayed 
logs,  small  bushes,  and  rushes  near  watery  places  ;  he  even  approaches 
the  farm-house,  rambles  obout  the  wood  pile,  crccpinir  among  the  in- 
terstices like  a  mouse.  With  tail  erect,  which  is  his  constant  habit, 
mounted  on  some  projecting  point  or  pinnacle,  he  sings  witli  great 
animation.  Even  in  the  yards,  gardens,  and  outliouses  of  the  city, 
ho  appears  familiar  and  quite  at  liorne.  Tn  short,  he  possesses  almost 
all  the  habits  of  the  European  species.  He  i-:,  however,  migratory, 
which  may  be  owing  to  the  superior  coldness  of  our  continent  Never 
having  mot  with  the  nest  and  eggs,  I  am  unable  to  say  how  nearly 
they  approximate  to  those  of  the  former. 

I  can  find  no  precise  description  of  this  bird,  as  an  American  species, 
in  any  Piuropcan  publication.  Even  some  of  our  own  naturalists  seem 
to  have  confounded  it  with  another  very  different  bird,  tlie  Marsh 
Wren,*  %v]iich  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  from  the  south  in  May,  builds 
a  globular  or  pitcher-shaped  nest,  which  it  suspends  among  the  rushes 
and  bushes  by  the  river  side,  lays  five  or  six  eggs  of  a  dark  fawn 
color,  and  dcpails  again  in  September.  But  the  colors  and  markings 
of  that  bird  are  very  unlike  those  of  the  Winter  Wren,  and  its  song 
altogether  different  The  circumstance  of  the  one  arriving  from  tlie 
nortJi  as  the  other  returns  to  the  south,  and  vice  versa,  with  some  gen- 
eral resemblance  between  the  two,  may  have  occasioned  this  mistake. 
They,  however,  not  only  breed  in  different  regions,  but  belong  to 
different  genera,  the  Marsh  W^ren  being  decisively  a  species  of  Cer- 
tkia,  and  the  Winter  Wren  a  true  MolacUla.  Indeed,  we  iiave  no 
less  than  five  species  of  tlicse  birds  in  Pennsylvania,  tiiat,  by  a  super- 
ficial observer,  would  be  taken  for  one  and  the  same,  but  between  each 
of  which  nature  has  drawn  strong,  'iscriminating,  and  indelible  lines 
of  separation.    These  will  be  j)ointod  out  in  their  proper  places. 

If  this  bird,  as  some  suppose,  retires  only  to  the  upper  regions  of  the 
country  and  mountainous  forests  to  breed,  as  is  the  case  with  some 
others,  it  will  account  for  his  early  and  frequent  residence  along  the 
Atlantic  coast  during  the  severest  winters ;  though  I  rather  suspect 
that  he  proceeds  considerably  to  the  northward ;  as  the  Snow  Bird, 
(F.  Hudsonia,)  which  arrives  about  the  same  time  with  the  Winter 
Wren,  does  not  even  breed  at  Hudson's  Bay,  but  passes  that  settle- 
ment in  June,  on  his  way  to  the  northward  ;  how  much  farther  is  un- 
known. 

The  length  of  the  Winter  Wren  is  three  inches  and  a  half,  breadth, 
five  inches ;  the  upper  parts  are  of  a  general  dark  brown,  crossed 
with  transverse  touches  of  black,  except  the  upper  parts  of  the  head 
and  neck,  which  are  plain ;  the  black  spots  on  the  back  terminate  in 
minute  points  of  dull  white ;  the  first  row  of  wing-coverts  is  also 
marked  with  specks  of  white  at  the  extremities  of  the  back,  and 
tipped  minutely  with  black ;  the  next  row  is  tipped  with  points  of 
white ;  the  primaries  are  crossed  with  alternate  rows  of  black  and 
cream  color ;  inner  vanes  of  all  the  quills,  dusky,  except  the  three  sec- 
ondaries next  the  body ;  tips  of  the  wings,  dusky;  throat,  line  over  the 

*  See  Professor  Barton's  observations  on  this  subjec  i,  inder  the  article  Motaeilla 
troglodytes?    Fragments,  &c.  p.  18 j  Ibid.  p.  12, 


gQ  Rr.l)-III'.AnKl>  WOODPECKER. 

eye,  -ide.  of  tl.  nock    ear-feath-  J^  ^J-^l.^fi^^^^ 
minute,  tranaverne  touches  «>»  '^  •^'^'^^^^       '^JJ  "jjrty  'white  ;  belly  and 

vent,  thickly  mottled  w  tli  «°"*y  °  f ^^' 3n„  of  twelve  fealliers,  tho 
transverse  touches  •  ^.vH,  very  B»>ort^^^^^^  ^j^^  ^,,,  k    >th- 

cxterior  one  on  each  side  a  ,r'^'^J^?\^";"  nd  feet,  a  light  clay  color, 
onins  gradually  to  the  ""^If^^  °"^^^^^^^^  an  inch  long,  and  not 

and  pretty  Btout;  b'l'fJ'S^^.Vwn'o  black  above,  and  whitish 
notched  at  the  point,  of  a  ^"l^.  r''^"  °i  The  female  wants  the 
below,  nostril,  obh>ng ;  eye,  bght  hf  Jf  ^ J  ^^  ^i«  bird  is  derived 
IKMnts  of  white  on  the  ^'"g-f  °;_f'^'  „?  the  feathered  race,  insects 
S£irrf.,7aSuTar?y^ucras"Uabit  watery  places,  roots  of 


«' 


KKD-HEADEU  WOODPECKER^- HCUS  ERYTHROCE- 
PHALUS.  — Fio.35. 

Picus  erj-throccphalus,  Linn.  ^JsU-  m,  ''■-^J;X,  ^-  S'li^crM^ 
i;J,'^.  erJOi^cpb*.,  I^.A  Hod. ...  p.  316. 

uncertainly.  Wilson  evulcnlly  had  a  doubt  boin  ir  ^ieiUot  had  doubls,  and 
markinK  tie  species  and  his  syn""y'^^,«'.^''^*  Ss  out  no  difference  between 
Bonaparte  goes  a  good  deal  on  ^'^ "'h°"»y >  ^  P"''i*3Vdescrib^  a  bird,  as  that 
the  W^ds.  %lr.  Swainson,  in  /^^  f^f S/S'a^'d  proves  distinctly  that  the 
nf  Vieillot's.  kil  ed  on  the  shores  ol  l^aKC  nmou,  «      i  ^^^  ^^^^ 

i.Xc%A  some  of  the  re'a.  ve  prc^port.on  ,  -  y^^  ,^        ^„„,, 

5^merican  species  concerned  ni  tins  -one^  ,   ^  eerla.nly  seems 

and  that  one  perhaps  may  ''*',  "^"^  "^' ^ '^  mark  of  doubrit  being  impossible  to 
e;\ne\C  srr.;SS::itut?n  examination  of  numerous  spec.es. 

-^?Vs  wih  point  cut  anolher  «/  ^r    Sw^i^s  g.«^^^^^^ 

peckers,  equally  distinct  -'^h  CV«p/«.    The  formjs  lon|^^  ^^  ,^^g 


II 


)! 


rei>-hi:aded  v  jodpccker.  97 

Bteol  blue,  is  ho  striking  and  cliiiractoristic,  and  his  predatory  habits 
in  tiio  orchards  and  corn-fields,  added  to  his  nainbors,  and  IbndneM  for 
hoverinj,'  along  the  fences,  so  very  notorious,  that  ahnost  every  child 
is  ttcmuiinted  witli  the  Red-headed  Woodpecker.  In  tlie  iimncdiate 
neighborhood  of  t)ur  large  cities,  wliere  tlie  old  timber  is  chiefly  cut 
down,  he  is  not  so  frequently  found ;  and  yet,  at  tins  present  time, 
(Jiuie,  1H08,)  I  know  of  several  of  their  nests  within  tiio  boundaries 
of  tiie  city  of  Piuladolphia.  Two  of  tliese  are  in  button  wood-trees 
iPlatnnua  occidentalis,)  and  another  in  the  decayed  liinb  of  an  ehn. 
The  old  ones,  I  observe,  make  their  excursions  regularly  to  the  woods 
b(;yond  the  Schuylkill,  about  a  uiile  distant ;  preserving  great  silence 
and  circumspection  in  visiting  thoir  nests,  —  precautions  not  much 
attonilod  to  by  tlieni  in  the  dcuUi  of  tlie  woods,  because  there  the 
pryin;.'  eye  oi  man  is  less  to  oe  dreaded.  Towards  tiio  mountains, 
particularly  in  tlio  vicinity  of  croaks  and  rivers,  these  birds  are  ex- 
tremely abundant,  especially  in  tlio  latter  end  of  summer.  Wherever 
you  travel  in  tlie  interior  at  that  season,  you  hear  them  screaming 
from  tlio  adjoining  woods,  rattling  on  tlio  dead  limbs  of  trees,  or  on 
tlie  fences,  where  tliey  are  perpetually  soi-u  flitting  from  stake  to 
stake,  on  the  roadside,  before  you.  Wlicrcver  there  is  a  tree,  or  trees, 
of  the  wild  cherry,  covered  with  ripe  fruit,  there  you  see  tliem  busy 
amoni!-  the  branches;  and,  in  passing  orchards,  you  may  easily  know 
where  to  find  the  earliest,  sweetest  apples,  by  observing  those  trees, 
on  or  near  which  the  Red-headed  Wood|)ecker  is  skulking ;  for  he  is 
so  excellent  a  connoisseur  in  fruit,  tliat  wherever  an  apple  or  pear  ia 
found  broached  by  him,  it  is  sure  to  be  among  tlie  ripest  and  best 
flavored :  when  alarmed,  he  seizes  a  capital  one  by  striking  his  open 
bill  deep  into  it,  and  bears  it  oft*  to  the  woods.  When  the  Indian 
corn  is  in  its  rich,  succulent,  milky  state,  he  attacks  it  with  great 
eagerness,  opening  a  passage  through  the  numerous  folds  of  the  husk, 
and  feeding  on  it  with  voracity.  The  girdled,  or  deadened  timber,  so 
common  among  corn-fields  in  the  bacic  n-ettlements,  are  his  favorite 
retreats,  whence  he  sallies  out  to  make  his  depredations.  He  is  fond 
of  the  ripe  berries  of  tlie  sour  gum,  and  i)ays  pretty  regular  visits  to 
the  cherry-trees,  when  loaded  with  fruit.    Towards  fall  he  often  ap- 

E roaches  tlie  barn  or  farm-house,  and  raps  on  the  shingles  and  weather 
oards :  ho  is  of  a  gay  and  frolicsome  disposition ;  and  half  a  dozen 
of  the  fraternity  are  frequently  seen  diving  and  vociferating  around 
the  high,  dead  limbs  of  some  large  tree,  pursuing  and  jdaying  with 
each  other,  and  amusing  the  passenger  witli  ttieir  gambols.  Their 
note,  or  cry,  is  shrill  and  lively,  and  so  much  resembles  that  of  a 
species  of  tree-frog  which  frequents  tlio  same  tree,  that  it  is  some- 
times difficult  to  distinguish  tlie  one  from  tlie  other. 

Such  are  the  vicious  traits,  if  I  may  so  speak,  in  the  character  of 
the  Red-headed  Woodpecker ;  and  I  doubt  not  but,  from  what  has 
been  said  on  this  subject,  that  some  readers  would  consider  it  merito- 
rious to  exterminate  the  whole  tribe  as  a  nuisance ;  and,  in  fact,  the 
legislatures  of  some  of  our  provinces,  in  former  times,  offered  pre- 

fecd  almost  entirely  on  the  rich  fruits  and  ripe  grains  of  the  country.  The  chaste 
and  simple-colored  Picus  bicolur,  from  tlie  Minus  Geraies,  I  believe,  will  be  another 
renresentaUve  of  this  form.  —  Ed. 

9 


:i;:j' 


96 


Hr-VMI     '  .,t.,     WfiOI)PECK«», 


miunrw  to  tlie  anxMtat  of  twopent 
But,  let  uw  fif»f  'HVirAc       ''        


„iir  Uead  for  their  deBtfMrtion.* 


tl.crcforn  U,  nece««ry.t    If  tkeir  merits,  ^^^--^'}^:,}!^  ^,lZ 


of  tho  form.>r,  •  ,1.11.^  wo  guurd  ^;^^"  ^J\        .,f  „„  fniit,  yet   his 

1  houjrii  ua«  I,  -  i„«,,rti«  oarticu  ar  V  »'">»«  I'un  ■•r'  >«  n>'U 

natural  uud  moHt  vi^.  "  "w^'  ^*'  P,     ,    „,' V  ,„„.„  ,,<•  .         ...o  to 

destructive  Hi>ecie.  uuA  ,  "''*7^^^i\•' *'%\riJh     ro  ill '  K.<  wu  to 
deposit  tl.eir  eggs  ar>d  larv«     ^^^^^  .^"^J^i  jj^  ^';;;iaent 

na  wpll  as  from  his  ustial  nabiw.     in  laci,  iu«ti.ia  lunu         „,„•.. 

Ce^iL  .  wS  trfate  deHtruction  of  many  hundred  acres  ot  puio- 

;  ¥^-Lnc.a.ce  of  this  speci.  ..t  J.  ^y^n^at  an.,  f^ 
they  com.nit,  must  be  more  felt     ,^' ;  ^7'"''  ."^i^"^^^^^^^^  „,l,cr  bad  l.nbits,  tl.cy 

i„  one  clay,  from  a  single  cherry- rce^  /'^^'"^'"",  ^e  a„d  ll.us  supporting  ll.om. 
carry  off  apples  by  thrusUng  '"  the.r  '.  as  "^^  M"««'^'  ^^^■^  „„[ Very  ronuuon 
They  also  frequent  pigeon-houses,  and  suck  "«-  ^^Bf^',  %  prepared  for  llio  Mar- 
amoiig  .h^  t'i'^.;  -d-;- J:/rrhoP"7:dS    "to Tl^^^^^^^^^^^^  i..  Kentucky 

^lla  r'a;;:;;ta.^;f  Ktfing  ma^^r^re^^       Au  jjjn. .-  ^^ 

.'  As  soon  as  the  Ked-heads  have  I'^P.^nj"  ^''''' "J,^^,  7hc  cS  branches,  and 
placo-Ulong  the  trunk  of  the  '^f  A  J'^S^jT^r^r  |te  Woo^^^^^^  ^'Ughl  l-y 

produced  in  the  upper  part,  the  bird  ,.  ^'[";'»/,  ^^='^;rf.,„„,/,  (a  name  bv  >vhich 
^  Acconiing  to  iL  same  f  n''*'^^^".' "".^"y^^^n  distr  c"s  o}  the  United  States 
thevar..  ""■v'^^^al'y  •'""^TJ/'''"'''"  i^  '"^^.C  l.o^^^^^  to  countries  farther 

dunng  the  whole  winter.     ^ ''-■  f  ^^'^.^""^'Xh '  ircor^^^^^^^  "     «"'"'>"'•  "^ 

south?  Their  migrat  on  takes  P''»«'«  f  ""''^  "^J^j, '  'They Xn  fly  high  above  the 
September,  anil  continues  for  a  mond.  or  ^'^J^ecks^  ,hemselves  by  reiterate.!  flaps 
,reL,far  apart,  like  -/''f  ^"KuccT'siVrc  rv^^^^^^^ 

of  their  win-s  at  the  ^■■''' .f „f .^.^^'^  "ft'diffe  enl  fr^^^^  d,e  usual  one.  sharp  and 
The  note  vvhioh  they  e.r.it  '^V  'm!^?^^h  the  Ir.ls  may  1^  out  of  sight.  At  the  dawn 
easily  heard  from  the  F[°";: ''''•'"'«,?  J^!  i"^Te^  the  plantations,  and  re- 

iS;;  raih'VKi::  .i:;!'l?  :  a^o!suns.^when  tl£y  again,  one  aAer 
Se".  moiuu  die  air,  and  c.      <-  ;t;..r  jo-.m-y.  -  Ed  . 


REIX-HEADED  WOODPECKER.  gf 

treen,  in  tho  norUi-«astem  parts  of  Soul    Carolina,*  and  Ui<  <hou«iMaB 
ot  iMJuch-trccB  that  yoarly  decay  from  lao  nmw  uniiHC.     W    i  any  one 
•ay,  timt  taking  half  a  dozen,  or  half  a  Imndred,  apph-,  i  ,„in  a  tr<c 
iM  ojiuiiliy  ruinouH  wiUi  cutting  it  down?  or,  that  tho  h,    vices  of  a 
HI  ■fill  aiiitaal  should  not  bo  rewarded  witJi  a  Hinali  poiUuii  of  that 
whirh  It  httM  contributed  to  preserve  ?    We  are  told,  in  Uie  benevolent 
langimiro  „{  tho  HcnptureH,  not  to  muzzle  tho  moutli  of  tho  ox  tim* 
treadoUi  out  tho  corn;  and  why  should  not  tJie  same  generous  liberal- 
ity b()  extended  to  this  useful  family  of  birds,  which  forms  so  powerful 
a  phiiltuix  uguiiiHt  the  inroads  of  many  millions  of  destructive  vermin? 
Iho  III  d-headed  WooilfMscker  is,  properly  speaking,  a  bird  of  nasi 
sage ;  though,  even  in  Ul'  K.iHt.rn  States,  individuals  are  found  during 
moderuto  winters,  nb  well  an  in  the  states  of  JNew  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania;  in  Carolia,,,  Uiey  are  somewhat  more  numerous  during  that 
season,  but  not  one  tenth  of  what  are  found  in  summer.    They  make 
their  appea-ance  m  P'lnuaylvania  about  the  Ist  of  May,  and  leave  us 
about  the  ir.tKlle  of  October.    They  inhabit  from  Canada  to  the  Gulf 
ot  Moxii    , ,. :  .are  also  found  on  the  western  coast  of  North  America. 
About  the  middle  of  May  they  begin  to  construct  their  nests,  which, 
like  Uie  rest  of  tlio  genus,  they  form  in  tJic  body  or  large  limbs  of 
trees,  taking  in  no  materials,  but  smoothing  it  within  to  tlio  proper 
shape  and  size.     The  female  lays  six  eggs,  of  a  pure  white,  and  tiie 
young  make  their  hrst  appearance  about  the  20tli  of  June.     During 
the  hrst  sejison,  tho  head  und  neck  of  tho  young  birds  are  blackish 
gray,  which  has  occasioned  some  European  writers  to  mistake  tliem 
tor  females ;  the  wlute  on  tlie  wing  is  also  spotted  with  black ;  but  in 
the  succeeding  soring  they  receive  Uieir  perfect  plumage,  and  the 
ma  e  and  female  tlien  differ  only  in  the  latter  being  rather  smaller, 
and  Its  colors  not  quite  so  vivid;  botli  have  the  head  and  nock  deep 
scarlet;  the  bill  light  blue,  black  towards  tlie  extremity,  and  strong: 
back,  primaries,  wing-coverts,  and  tail,  black,  glossed  with  steel  blue ; 
rump,  lower  pnrt  of  the  back,  secondaries,  and  whole  under  parts 
trom  the  breast  downward,  white;  legs  and  feet,  bluish  green;  claws, 
light  blue ;  round  tho  eye,  a  dusky  narrow  skin,  bare  of  feathers ;  iris, 
dark  liazd;  total  length,  nine  inches  and  a  half;  extent,  seventeen 
mchos     The  Pig.  35,  on  the  plate,  was  drawn  and  colored  from  a 
very  elegant  living  specimen. 

Notwithstanding  the  care  which  this  bird,  in  common  with  tiie  rest 
01  Its  genus,  takes  to  place  its  young  beyond  the  reach  of  (enemies, 
wiuiin  the  hollows  of  trees,  yet  there  is  one  deadly  foe,  against  whose 
depredations  neither  the  height  of  the  tree,  nor  the  depth  of  the  cavity, 
18  the  least  security.  This  is  the  black  snike,  ( Coluber  consHdor,)  wjlo 
frequent  y  glides  up  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  and,  like  a  skulking  savage, 
enters  tlio  Woodpcck'^r's  peaceful  apartment,  devours  the  eggs  or 
helpless  y  m  -,  m  spite  of  the  cries  and  Hutterings  of  the  parents';  and. 
It  Uie  p  aco  1)6  large  enough,  coils  himself  up  in  the  spot  they  occu- 
pied, v/Jiere  he  will  sometimes  remain  for  several  days.  The  eager 
schoolboy,  after  liazarding  his  neck  to  reach  the  Woodpecker's  hole, 

•  In  oiie  place,  on  a  tra.-t  of  two  thousand  acres  of  pine  land,  on  the  Sampit 
Huer,  tiei  ,  Oeorpotown,  at  least  ninety  trees  in  every  hniRlred  were  destroycc'  by 
sleXriargc'r"'''"''  '  '^'*^''-^*"&«'l  ^'^'  --'"Wing  li.e  weevil,  bu. 


...^ 


( 

m 


Wii-n 


'  hi 


100  rELLOW-BELLIED  WOODPECKER. 

at  the  triumphant  moment  when  ^^^  «^5;;^«,*4"?S^^ 
rtripB  his  arm,  launching  it  down  »"^«  ^«  ^jf  7;^^  ^ X  fight  of  a 
conceives  to  be  the  <=f  «^ /"""f '  ^^^^hTs  eiddr^^^^^         retreating 
hideous  snake,  and  almost  drops  *'H'".,J^f„|^**'5pveral  adventures  of 
down  the  tree  with  terror  and  Vl^^^'^-J^r^^^'t^^^^ 


YELLOW-BELLIED   WOODPECKER-PICUS   VARIU3.- 

Fig.  36. 


Museim,  No.  2004.. 


DEJVDROCOPUS  VJiRlOS.- Syt-tnaoj^-* 

■       n  <?„««„   D  45  -  iVa<rl.  Syst.  Av.  Picus,  No.  16.-Dendro. 

Picus  van..s.  Bonap.  Syn^^  P^ «.^  ^^^^^^  ^J^  ..^  p.  309. 

This  beautiful  species  is  one  "^"^rraftmbeif  is  occSal?? 
orchards  in  the  «f"th  of  October  in  great  ^^^^^^^ 

seen  during  the  whole  winter  and  «P""|^  ^^^".^j^j^er,  it  is  rarely  seen 
of  the  forest,  to  rear  its  V^'^'fZnt^'iheSrZM^  woods,  I  have 
among  our  settlements;  and  even  >"  ^'^X™"3risgon,  it  inhabits 
seldom  met  with  it  in  that  season     Acc^^^^^^^^  ^  ,„ 

the  continent  from  Cayenne  to  J  ^gJJ»^ ',  f ""  J^  ^re  called  Meb,ewe 
Hudson's  Bay,  where,  accordmg  to  UutcUins,  inty  ar 

.  m  ihis  species,  and  the  two  fo""  j|,^^e  ]U.1«  ^^^^^^^^^^ 
and  many  olKcrs,  we  have  .he  lypes  "^^J.^J  ,^f„""„Vopth,K,  as  containing  a  very 
the  Woodpeckers  wlncli  I  have  ""  «^'3^'  ^l^^^  ,i  contusion  uiih  each  other, 
marked  group  of  black  and  wh.te  «|o»ed^b  'ds,  allK>^.^.^^  i,,ieatio..,  the  NoHha-n 
The  genus  is  made  use  ot,  for  the  "'?; ''";P'  "  ^f  pic^.  He  thus  remarks  :  — 
Zoolofry,  hy  Mr.  Swauison,  as  the  t^nrd  sub-g  nus  01  7^^^^  ^^^  ^^.^^  ^p^^.^^ 

ufhi  third  sub-genns  comprehends  «"  J^^^'^^^^^^^^^^  mountainous  parts 

Woodpeckers  of  Europe  and  Amenta.    Some  lew  occu  ^^^^^^^     seems  10 

„f  India ;  but,  with  these  exceptions,  ^  «  F[""P'" 
belong  more  particularly  to  '^'"Pf  ^^f '"'''2^'^^  ;„  flocks,  on  the  banks  of  the  Sas- 

"  ifwas  met  with  bv  the  over-land  f/P*'"^  .^  ^ere  strikingly  con- 

katchowo,.,  in  May     tts  '"?"%'^\j;  £E    for,  instead 'of  flitting  in  a  solitary 
trastcd  with  those  of  the  f^f ''«".' ^.X'^^"  if'' ^oHnsects,  it  flew  about  in  crowded 
way,  from  tree  to  tree,  and  ^^'^tr'TlTr,  rcontinua"  chat  ering.    Its  geographical 
flocis,  in  a  restless  manner,  and  kept^ "'' 'i.rTonal  tude,  to  Mexico."         ,      ^ 
range  is  extensive,  from  the  sixty-first.painUe  ol  lamu  ^      of  a  Woodpecker  from 

l«r.Swainson mentions  haying  received  a  smge  «P«~d,,„ibed ;  and    in  the 
S::?i:i^S^.SS.t^SpiB^ot=HtrMr.Audubon.-.Pen.roc«^ 

Audubomi,  Sw.  —  Ed. 


YE!, LOW-BELLIED   WOODPECKER. 


101 


PaupaMaow;^  they  are  also  common  in  ttie  states  of  Kentucky  and  Ohio, 
and  nave  been  seen  in  the  neighborhood  of  St.  Louis.  They  are  reck- 
oned by  Georgi  among  the  birds  tliat  frequent  tlie  Lake  Baikal,  in 
Asia ;  f  but  their  existence  there  has  not  been  satisfactorily  ascertained. 

The  habits  of  this  species  are  similar  to  those  of  the  Hairy  and 
Downy  Woodpeckers,  with  which  it  generally  associates.  The 
only  nest  of  this  bird  which  I  have  met  with,  was  in  the  body  of 
an  old  pear-tree,  about  ten  or  eleven  feet  from  the  ground.  The 
hole  was  almost  exactly  circular,  small  for  the  size  of  the  bird,  so  that 
it  crept  in  ani  out  with  difficulty ;  but  suddenly  widened,  descending 
by  a  small  angle,  and  then  running  downward  about  fifteen  inclies. 
On  the  smooth,  solid  wood  lay  four  white  eggs.  This  was  about  the 
twenty-fiftli  of  May.  Having  no  opportunity  of  visiting  it  afterwards, 
I  cannot  say  whether  it  added  any  more  eggs  to  the  number ;  I  rather 
think  it  did  not,  as  it  appeared  at  that  time  to  be  sitting. 

The  Yellow-bellied  Woodpecker  is  eight  inches  and  a  half  long,  and 
in  extent  fifteen  inclies ;  whole  crown,  a  rich  and  deep  scarlet,  bordered 
with  black  on  each  side,  and  behind  forming  a  slight  crest,  which  it 
frequently  erects ;  \  from  the  nostrils,  which  are  thickly  covered  with 
recumbent  hairs,  a  narrow  strip  of  white  runs  downward,  curving  round 
the  breast ;  mixing  with  the  yellowish  white  on  the  lower  part  of  the 
breast ;  throat,  the  same  deep  scarlet  as  tJie  crown,  bordered  with  black, 
proceeding  from  the  lower  mandible  on  each  side,  and  spreading  into 
a  broad,  rounding  patch  on  tlie  breast ;  this  black,  in  birds  of  the  first 
and  second  year,  is  dusky  gray,  the  feathers  being  only  crossed  with 
circular  touches  of  black ;  a  line  of  white,  and  below  it  another  of 
black,  proceed,  the  first  from  the  upper  part  of  the  eye,  the  other  from 
the  posterior  half  of  the  eye,  and  both  lose  themselves  on  the  neck 
and  back ;  back,  dusky  yellow,  sprinkled  and  elegantly  waved  with 
black ;  wings,  black,  with  a  large,  oblong  spot  of  white ;  the  primaries, 
tipped  and  spotted  with  wliito :  the  three  secondaries  next  the  body 
are  also  variegated  with  white ;  rump,  white,  bordered  with  black ; 
belly,  yellow;  sides  under  tlie  wings, more  dusky  yellow,  marked  with 
long  arrow-heads  of  black ;  legs  and  feet,  greenish  blue ;  tail,  black, 
consisting  of  ten  feathers,  the  two  outward  feathers  on  each  side 
tipped  with  white,  the  next  totally  black,  the  fourth  edged  on  its  inner 
vane  half  way  down  with  white,  the  middle  one  white  on  its  interior 
vane,  and  spotted  with  black ;  tongue,  flat,  homy  for  half  an  inch  at 
the  tip,  pointed,  and  armed  along  its  sides  with  reflected  barbs;  the 
other  extremities  of  the  tongue  pass  up  behind  the  skull  in  a  groove, 
and  end  near  the  right  nostril ;  in  birds  of  the  first  and  second  year 
they  reach  only  to  the  crown ;  bill,  an  inch  long,  channeled,  wedge- 
formed  at  the  tip,  and  of  a  dusky  horn  color.  The  female  is  marked 
nearly  as  the  male,  but  wants  the  scarlet  on  the  throat,  which  is 
whitish ;  she  is  also  darker  under  the  wings  and  on  the  sides  of  the 
breast  The  young  of  the  first  season,  of  both  sexes,  in  October,  have 
the  crown  sprinkled  with  black  and  deep  scarlet ;  the  scarlet  on  the 
throat  may  be  also  observed  in  the  young  males.  The  principal  food 
of  these  birds  is  insects ;  and  tliey  seem  particularly  fond  of  frequent- 

*  Latham.  t  Ibid. 

t  This  circumstRiirp  si>pins  to  hnvn  iionn  nyprlnnke'l  by  naturalists. 

9* 


k  « 


r^B*' 


102 


HAIRY   WOODPECKER. 


insr  orchards  borin?  the  trunks  of  the  apple-trees  in  then-  eager 
Sch  aaer  them  On  opening  them,  the  liver  apoears  very  larg^ 
rn7of  a  dirty  gamboge  color  fthe  stomach  strongly  muscuW,  and 
eenerally  filled  SS  fragments  k  beeUes  and  gravel.  In  the  niornmg, 
£y  arSremely  actife  in  the  orchards,  ^"^^^^^^^^^ 
rest  of  their  associates.  Their  cry  is  also  different,  but,  though  it  la 
easily  dSguishable  in  the  woods,  cannot  be  described  by  words. 


HAIRY  WOODPECKER -PICUS   VILLOSUS -Fio.  37. 

Picas  villc^us,  LV„n.^.  175,  ^^^^^^J^^^^lJ^^^^  E£::i9^ 
|;i7;c."tof  i.    r^   ^ef-^^^  ^^2,  18.  'id.  Sup.  m.-Peale% 

Museum,  No.  1988. 

DEJfDROCOPOS  r/LtOSrS.  — SwAiNsow. 

Pieus  villosus.  B^p.  Synop.  p.  46  "  ^filr'n  IS^'^'""'  ^- ^"''"'^°'"" 
villosus,  North.  £001.  ii.  p.  MO. 

This  is  another  of  onr  resident  birds,  and,  iike  the  former,  a  haunter 
of  orchards  and  borer  of  rvpple-trees,  an  eager  hunter  of  insects,  their 
e^esand  la^aB,  in  old  stumps  and  old  rails,  in  rotten  branches  and 
S'lnhebark,liavi£^ 

Stter  Kigs  fiSt  horiS^^^  if  i«  the  body  of  the  tree,  six  or  eight 
nches  and  tiien  downward,  obtusely,  for  twice  that  distance  ;  carmng 
UD  the  ci  with  his  bill,  and  scraping  them  out  witli  his  feet  They 
lo^'nof'Seqltly  choose  the  orchard  ^^^  breeding  in  and  even  an 
old  stake  of  the  fence,  which  they  excavate  ^^^^t^^^^P'^P^/'j^i,^'^^ 
female  lays  five  white  eggs,  and  hatches  in  Tune,  ihis  species  s 
nTre  nSrous  than  tl  A.t  in  Pennsylvania,  and  more  dom  st.  ^ 
freauentlv  approaching  the  farm-house  and  skirts  of  the  tow„.  in 
PWlade  phiaThavc  many  times  observed  them  examining  old  ragged 
Ss  of  he  willow  and  poplar  while  people  were  passing  imme- 
Selv  below.  Their  cry  is  strong,  shrill,  and  tremulous ;  tliey  have 
ITa  sSe  note,  or  clmk  which  they  often  repeat,  in  an  eager  man- 
ner  L  nfyhop  about,  and  dig  into  tlie  crevices  ot  tlie  tree.  They 
£bl  theVon?inent  from  HuLn's  Bay  to  Carolina  and  Georgia 

The  Hairy  Woodpecker  is  nine  inches  long,  and  fifteen  m  extent, 
crown  black;  line  over  and  under  the  eye,  white  ;  tlie  eye  is  placed 
in  a  black  line,  that  widens  as  it  descends  to  the  back;  hind  head, 
scarier  somethnes  intermixed  with  black ;  nostrils,  hid  under  re- 
S«hlv  tS  bushy,  recumbent  hairs,  or  bristles;  under  the  bill 
r'^HlinS  Safi;'ihrown  forward  and  up.^ard,  as  represented  m 
Fig."37rbill,^a  bluish  horn  color,   grooved,   weaged  ai  wc  cuu, 


%i 


HAIRY  WOODPECKER. 


103 


straight,  and  about  an  inch  and  a  quarter  long ;  touches  of  black, 
proceeding  from  the  lower  mandible,  end  in  a  broad  black  strip  that 
joins  the  black  on  the  shoulder;  back,  black,  divided  by  a  broad, 
lateral  strip  of  white,  the  feathers  composing  which  are  loose  and 
unwebbed,  resembling  hairs,  —  whence  its  name ;  rump  and  shoulders 
of  tiie  wing,  black ;  wings,  black,  tipped  and  spotted  with  white,  three 
rows  of  spots  being  visible  on  the  secondaries,  and  five  on  the  prima- 
ries ;  greater  wing-coverts,  also  spotted  with  white ;  tail,  as  in  the 
others,  cuneiform,  consisting  of  ten  strong-shafted  and  pointed 
feathers,  the  four  middle  ones  black,  the  next  partially  white,  tJie  two 
exterior  ones  white,  tinged  at  the  tip  with  a  brownish  burnt  color ; 
tail-coverts,  black ;  whole  lower  side,  pure  white ;  legs,  feet,  and 
claws,  light  blue,  the  latter  remarkably  large  and  strong ;  inside  of  the 
mouth,  flesh  colored ;  tongue,  pointed,  beset  with  barbs,  anc'.  capable 
of  being  protruded  more  than  an  inch  and  a  half;  the  os  hyoides,  in 
this  species,  passes  on  each  side  of  the  neck,  ascends  the  skull,  passes 
down  towards  the  nostril,  and  is  wound  round  the  bone  of  the  right 
eye,  which  projects  considerably  more  than  the  left  for  its  accommoda- 
tion. The  great  mass  of  hairs,  that  cover  the  nostril,  appears  to  be 
designed  as  a  protection  to  the  front  of  the  head,  when  the  bird  is 
engaged  in  digging  holes  into  the  wood.  The  membrane  which 
encloss^s  he  brain  in  this,  as  in  all  the  other  species  of  Woodpeckers, 
is  also  of  extraordinary  strength,  no  doubt  to  prevent  any  bad  eflTects 
fiom  violent  concussion  while  the  bird  is  employed  in  digging  for 
food.  The  female  wants  the  red  on  the  hind  head ;  and  the  white 
below  is  tinged  with  brownish.  The  manner  of  flight  of  these  birds 
haa  been  already  described  under  a  former  species,  as  consisting  of 
alternate  risings  and  sinkings.  The  Hairy  Woodpeckers  generally 
utter  a  loud,  tremulous  scream  as  they  set  off,  and  when  they  alight. 
They  are  hard  to  kill ;  and,  like  tlie  Red-headed  Woodpecker,  hang 
by  the  claws,  even  of  a  single  foot,  as  long  as  a  spark  of  life  remains, 
before  they  drop. 

This  species  is  common  at  Hudson's  Bay,  and  has  lately  been  found 
in  England.*  Dr.  Latham  examined  a  pair  which  were  shot  near 
Halifax,  in  Yorkshire  ;  and,  on  comparing  the  male  with  one  brought 
from  North  America,  could  perceive  no  difference,  but  in  a  slight 
interruption  of  the  red  that  marked  the  hind  head  of  the  former;  a 
circumstance  which  I  have  frequently  observed  in  our  own.  The  two 
females  corresponded  exactly. 

*  This,  I  believe,  is  a  mistake ;  and  allhough  this  bird  is  beginning-  to  creep  into 
our  fauna  in  the  rank  of  an  occasional  vjsitaut,  I  can  find  no  autlientic  trace  of 
the  Hairy  Woodpecker  being  ever  killed  in  Great  Britain.  It  is  a  bird  belonging 
to  a  nortncrn  climate  j  and  although  it  closely  resembles  a  native  speoies,  it  can 
never  be  mistaken,  with  any  ordinary  examination  or  comparison.  The  Halifax  in 
Yorkshire  will  turn  out  in  reality  the  Halifax  of  the  New  World.  — Ed. 


104 


DOWNY  WOODPECKER. 


DOWNY  WOODPECKER. -PICUS  PUBESCENS.-Fio.  38. 

Picuspubesccns,  Linn.  Syst  i- P  15.-G„^/.  S^*'"  ^^7  ff 'li'irZoJ 
VirKinic.  Buffon,  vii.  76.  -  Smallest  Woodpncker,  Cc^esA...  21.- ^r^^^ 
ii.  No.  ^3.-T.Utle  Woodpecker,  Lath.  Synop.  n.  673,  19.    Id.  Sup.  lOfa.- 
Peale's  Museuvi,  No.  1986. 

DEJVDROCOPUS    Pf/BESCf-VS.  —  SwAimon. 

Picas  pubescens,  Banap.  Synop  p.  ^-^^^'f '#:i^"-£^"'*'  ^"  ^•""''"' 
•^  drocopus  pubescens,  North.  Zool.  n.  p.  Ml- 

This  is  the  smallest  of  our  Woodpeckers,*  and  so  exactly  resembles 
the  former  in  its  tints  and  markings,  and.  in  almost  every  thing  except 
uL  dSutive  size,  that  1  wonder  how  it  passed  through  the  Count  de 
Buffon's  hands  without  being  branded  as  a  «  spurious  race,  degenerated 
bv  the  influence  of  food,  climate,  or  some  unknown  cause.      But, 
S^uSiit  has  escaped  this  infemy,  charges  of  a  much  more  heinous 
natme  have  been  brought  against  it,  not  only  by  the  wnter  above 
menuoned  but  by  the  Ihole  venerable  body  of  zoologists  ,n  Europe, 
"So  have'  reated^of  its  history,  viz.,  that  it  is  almost  constantly  bonng 
Td  digging  into  apple-trees,  and  that  it  is  the  most  destructive  of  its 
whole  gen?s  to  the  orchards.    The  first  part  of  this  charge  I  shall  not 
pre?enf  to  deny ;  how  far  the  other  is  founded  in  truth  will  appear  n 
Se  sequel.    Lilce  the  two  former  species,  it  remains  with  us  the  whole 
fear     About  the  middle  of  May,  the  male  and  female  look  out  for  a 
suitable  place  for  tlie  reception  of  their  eggs  and  young.    An  ap^e, 
new  or  cherry-tree,  often  in  the  near  neighborhood  of  the  farm-house, 
L  generally  fixed  upon  for  this  purpose.    The  tree  is  minutely  recon- 
noitred for  several  days  previous  to  the  operation,  and  the  work  is 
SSi  begun  by  the  male,  who  cuts  out  a  hole  in  the  solid  wood  as  cir- 
cJlar  as  if  described  with  a  pair  of  compasses.    He  is  occasional  y 
rXevcd  by  the  female,  both  parties  working  with  the  most  indefatigable 
dU  fflnce     The  direction  of  the  hole,  if  made  m  the  body  of  the  tree, 
is  Snera  ly  downwards,  by  an  angl»  of  thirty  or  forty  degrees,  for  the 
distance  of  six  or  eight  inches,  and  then  straight  down  for  ten  or 
twelve  mo  e;  within,  ?bomy,  capacious,  and  as  smooth  as  it  polished  by 
the  cXet-maker ;  but  the  entrance  is  judiciously  left  just  so  large  as 

■>  This  species,  as  Wilson  observes,  is  the  smallest  of  the  American  Woodpcokers, 

'''sfs':^iii^Jratt^"oi^^^ 
^'i^ss^£^od;ss^::^s:i^tS^^^ 

SisTftthAme^ricachrJfly  -Afferent  {toTd.  nube..cens'  in  the  greater  porfon 
Sf  rid  cn^O^LhinKd  relative  length  of  the  quill^  and  shape  of  the  ta.l-fea  hers: 
ZidoZi^is  meridionalis,  inhJiting  Georgia,  less  than  D.  pubescens,^ud  with 


the  uaucr  pmmBgv 


>!•  H'cwn.""*  EP; 


^-^^^^ 


^^^H^- 


,jm^- 


-fSiSMfJ^iiSfe.,:. 


■'«■./;.  ofBifji-JHt^itrnei  ' 


THE    SWAN 


/      i 


DOWNY  WOODPECKER, 


105 


to  admit  the  bodies  of  the  owners.  During  this  labor,  they  reffularlv 
nS"  1^'  chips  often  stroking  them  afa  distance,  to  pUve^nt  suZ 
^nl  :  ^  his  operation  sometimes  occupies  the  chief  part  of  a  week. 
Before  she  begins  to  lay,  the  female  often  visits  the  plEcc,  passes  ou 

^;i  ;ttSr'  "'""^  P"S  ''"''»  °^  ^'  ''•^terior  and  interior,  wUh 
fnH  Hp^^  w'lf'  «very  prudent  tenant  of  a  new  house  ought  to  do, 
and  at  ength  takes  complete  possession.  The  e<r,,g  are  irenerallv  six 
pure  white,  and  laid  on  the  s'mooth  bottom  of  the^cality^  The  male 
lbonMhn^^J"PP'{f '  '^  '"'T'^  ""^  ^'^"d  while  she  is%itting;  and 
Sn  t  .  Jp  .iT' K-  '"  ^Tu  ^^'  y-T""  '^"•^  P«^«°'^«'l  '"^king  thek  way 
up  the  tree,  climbing  with  considerable  dexterity.  All  this  eoes  on 
with  groat  regularity  where  no  interruption  is  met  w  th ;  Kt  the 
House  Wren,  who  also  builds  in  the  hollow'of  a  tree,  but  who  is  neither 

IZri'V'/V'''  T'^f"^  '"^"'^  nor  strength  for  excavating  such  an 
apartment  for  himself,  allows  the  Woodpeckers  to  goon,  till  he  thinks 

eral  V  ^.^'V"-^  ^^'''^^'''  \^'''  "'J"''^''  ^''«™  ^^^^^  viokmce,  and  gen! 
erally  succeeds  in  driving  them  ofE  I  saw  some  weeks  a^o  a  strikin? 
example  of  this,  where  the  Woodpeckers  we  are  now  descl-ibint  aftc? 
SS  mi"f  *"  ^*^''^J■7-t^««'  ^^"hin  a  few  yards  of  the  houle,  and 
having  made  considerable  progress,  were  turned  out  by  the  Wren  •  the 

vSfnff"^"  ''^'"V"  r  P'^'-*'"""  '"  the  garden,  fifteen  or  twenty 
JSePcrS'T'^^^^'"  '^'»^'""  '^"^'^  most  complete  apartment,  and 
one  egg  being  laid  they  were  once  more  assaulted  by  the  same  imper- 
tinent intruder,  and  finally  forced  to  abandon  the  place.  ^ 

rhe  principal  characteristics  of  this  little  bird  are  diligence,  famili- 
of^KoT'Tt'  ""^  "  '^r""^'^  ^""^  ^''^'Sy  in  the  head  and  muscles 
hrnn  hnf  „n  u  w  ^"Jy/^«t«'?'sl'ing.  Mounted  on  the  infected 
.17a:  f  ?•  °'t  ^PPJe-tree,  where  insects  have  lodged  their  corroding 
«nLH  P  V.  [r'^  in  crevices  between  the  bark  and  wood,  he  labor! 
sometmes  for  half  an  hour  incessantly  at  the  same  spot,  before  he  has 
succeeded  in  dislodging  and  destroying  them.  At  these  times  you 
Sw'^it  wiX  Pfi^"^  ''^''''  ^°  ^^^*''^°'  ^""^  «^«"  «tand  immediately 
h«^r«  ^  ?  ^Ju  *""  'f  ^'^^  "^  ^^''  ^'''^>  without  in  the  least  em- 
barrassing him;  the  strokes  of  his  bill  are  distinctly  heard  several 
hundred  yards  off ;  and  I  have  known  him  to  be  at  work  for  two  hom's 
together  on  the  same  tree.  Buffon  calls  this  "incessant  toil  and 
slavery  ;  'their  attitude  "  a  painful  posture;"  and  their  life,  "a  dull 
and  insipid  existence ;"  expressions  improper,  because  untrue;  and 
absurd,  because  contradictory.  The  posture 'is  that  for  which  the 
whole  organization  of  his  frame  is  particularly  adapted;  and  thouHi, 
to  a  Wren  or  a  Humming  Bird,  the  labor  would  be  both  toil  and  slavery 

InJ^  T,u  '"'.  ^'"  ^T'"?'''''  '''  P^^'^'^"*  ^"d  as  amusing,  as  the 
sports  of  the  chase  to  the  hunter,  or  the  sucking  of  flowers  to  the 

fndTwp?  ,^''''^-  Z^'^'^'^r''  V'^  "^*^h  he  Lverses  the  upper 
and  lower  sides  of  the  branches  ;  the  cheerfulness  of  his  cry,  and  the 
hvelmess  of  his  motions  while  digging  into  the  tree  and  dislodging  the 
vernun  justify  this  belief.  He  has  a'single  note,  or  chink,  S,^l  ke 
the  former  species,  he  frequently  repeats ;  and  when  he  flies  off,  or 

npSh^^  ''"°*¥'"  i'^^  ^^  "*^^'''  "  '•^ther  shriller  cry,  composed  of 
nearly  the  same  kind  of  note,  quicldy  reiterated.  In  fill  and  winter, 
he  associates  with  the  Titmouse,  Creeper,  &c.,  both  in  their  wood  and 
orchard  excursions,  and  usually  leads  the  van.    Of  all  our  Wood- 


i      J 


f 


,Qg  DOWNV  WOODPECKER. 

pecker,  none  ri.l  the  apple-trees  of  so  --y  v« 
Tff  the  moss  which  ^he  neghgcnc^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^j  -^  ^is 

accuiiu.late,  and  probing  every  crevice  in  ^  unequalled,  and 
favorite  resort  in  ^J'^^-^^""^  ^•^"^JUeSyof  any  other  speciea 
almost  incessant,  whu-ii  is  ']^»;;,'^„^  ;"  ^,  j^f^','  fng  the  ap^^  for 

we  have.  In  fall,  he  '«  P'^'-^'^'^^'y ,  Xth,  Zm  snlRcient  to  ad- 
in^ects,  digging  a  circular  hole  J  Jf?h  the  barK  j  ,^,,^.,^,„tal 

mit  his  bill,  after  that  a  «;^'^;^"'J' ^^^y^*^^^^^  iara  lei  circles  of  holes  are 
circles  round  the  body  of  the  tree  ,t  use  pa^  ^^^^  ^^^^^_ 

often  not  more  than  an  ^^h  or  an  ">^h  JJ*^  ^,^,  or  ten  of  them  at 
times  so  close  together,  ^I'^^t  I    ave  coven^a  e  ._  ^^^^^       ^^  ^^^ 

once  with  a  dollar.  From  "9,'^;]^  *  'f '",f;';Uic  bark  of  many  apple- 
first  fork,  and  ««"l'''"'tl ,  "  m  umer  t  at  o  appear  as  if  made  by 
trees  is  perforated  in  thi^  n^;  ""e^^'  '«  ^;  ;°,  j  tie  Woodpecker,  the 
successive  discharges  oi  ^"ck-shot     and  our  1. 1  l^^  ^^  ^^^.^ 

subject  of  the  prosent  acco^^^^^^^  perforations 

supposed  mi-.^chief,-I  ^^y  si  pposca,'  r  harmless,  but,  I  have 

of  the  bark  being  rumous  they  are  not  on  y  ^^  ^^. 

good  reason  to  believe,  really  .^«"'^'  .'^\*bVtanist  to  account  for  this  ; 
the  tree.  I  leave  it  to  the  Pl^J^^^'^'^^^^Xn  fifty  orchards  which  1 
but  the  fact  I  am  confident  of.  .  J"  "'"/.^i'^'Jiach  were  marked  by 
have  myself  carefully  exanuned,  tho.e  trees  w"  ^^^^^^^^ 

the  Woodpecker  (for  some  trees  ^^-.^^^^       e  most  thriving,  and 

not  penetrated  by  ^"^'l^ts    were   nmto  ni  y    i  ^^^^^^  ^^^^ 

seemingly  the  most  productive  _;  many  ot  these  v        ^^^^^  ^,^^ 

years  old,  their  trunks  «""?Pf  ^'y/i^3,vith  fruit.    Of  decayed 
tranches  were  broad,  luxurian,  and  loa^c^^^^^^^  Woodpecker, 

trees,  more  than  three  fourths  were  untoucuei     y  ^    ^^^^-^^ 

several  intelligent  far..ersjn  1    whom  I^  have  ^^^  ^^.^^^     ,^^^ 

acknowledge  the  trutn  oi  V'^^'^        ,  .  common  oi)mion  is,  that 

upon  these  birds  as  benefi"'^!^  ^ut  tl.e  most  ^  .1^  vegetation; 

they  bore  the  trees  to  suck  the J^ap,  "^n"  .  ^^^^.^^  ^^  -^  ^^^ 

though  pine  and  other  '•^^'X^-rmlequX  perforated.  Were  the 
pretended  they  teed,  "^."^^"i^'^^tiSuice  of  tlie  birch,  the  sugar 
sap  of  the  tree  their  object,the  si^«  anne  ju  inviting,  because  more 
Jple,andseveral  others  would  b^^^^^^  ^-j^_^^^^  .  ^ut  I 

sweet  and  nourishing,  than  hat  ot  ^  »"^^^  ^  j.^  ^^^  ^i.^usand  that  may 
have  not  observed  one  mark  on  the  lo™«''  ;"'    .       ■      jg  the  season 

be  seen  on  the  latter.    B<^f  »^f  J  ^^^Tv  ^X^^^^^      i    -mly  during  the 
when  the  s.p  flows  '""^t  abundantly  ,^^J^^ert"^ 
months  of  September,  October  «f  ^f  "^Xpig  every  crack  and 
seen  so  indefatigably  ['X^ll    and  S  t 'irwortl^remarkiiig,  chief- 
crevice,  boring  through     e  bark  an^^^  tree,  for  the  eggs  and 

-- S:  i^Sirtl-^KK^  sumir  give  birth  to 

Providence  seems  to  have  f°™™J°^„„£  every  d'y  ^'•"'y  """■ 
foKSfttees  froinJ.e  .ravage.  fj'^'^Sdlta.rs^^l.-Ul.e  hep'e.  of 

iiUUB  VI 


.  ..„.  „„4^Lt:s°^:irix;'.i;i'iis«,e  -ope,  of 


i  ■  f 


MOCKING  BIRD.  ffff 

the  husbandman,  ana  which  even  promote  the  fertility  of  the  tree 
and,  m  return,  are  proscribed  by  those  who  ought  to  hava  been  their 
protectors,  and  incitemnnti  nnd  rewards  hehl  out  for  tlicir  destruction! 
Let  u8  exumme  better  into  the  operations  of  nature,  and  many  of  our 
mistaken  opimons  and  groundless  prejudices  will  be  abandoned  for 
more  just,  enlarged,  and  humane  modes  of  thinking. 

Ihe  length  of  the  Downy  Woodpecker  is  six  inches  nnd  three 
quarters,  and  its  extent  twelvu  inches:  crown,  black:  hind  head,  deeo 
scarlet ;  stripe  over  the  eye,  white;  nostrils,  thickly  covered  with  re- 
cumbent hairs,  or  small  feathers,  of  a  cream  color:  these,  as  in  the 
preceding  species,  are  thick  and  bushy,  as  if  designed  to  preserve  the 
forehead  Irom  injury  during  the  violent  action  of  digging;  the  back  is 
black,  and  divided  By  a  lateral  strip  of  white,  loose, ^ownv,  unwebbed 
feathers;  wings,  black,  spotted  with  white;  tail-coverts;  rump,  and 
four  middle  feathers  of  the  tail,  black  ;  the  other  three  on  each  side 
white  crossed  with  touches  of  black ;  whole  under  parts,  as  well  as 
the  sides  of  the  neck,  white;  the  ktter  marked  with  a  streak  of  black, 
proceeding  from  the  lower  mandible,  exactly  as  in  the  Hairy  Wood- 
pecker;  legs  and  feet,  bluish  green;  claws,  light  blue,  tipped  with 
black;  tongue  formed  like  that  of  the  precedfnjr  species,  horny  to- 
wards the  tip,  where,  for  one  eighth  of  an  inch,  it  is  barbed ;  bill,  of 
a  bluish  horn  co  or,  grooved,  and  wodgc-formed,  like  most  of  the 
genus  ;  eye,  dark  hazef.  The  female  wants  the  red  on  the  hind  head, 
having  that  part  white;  and  the  breast  and  belly  are  of  a  dirty  white 

Ihis,  and  the  two  former  species,  are  generally  denominated  Sap- 
suckers.  They  have  also  several  other  provincial  appellations,  equafly 
absurd,  which  it  may,  perhaps,  be  more  proper  to  si  ppress  than  to 
sanction  by  repeating. 


II 


MOCKING  BIRD.-TURDUS  POLYGLOTTUS.-Fio. 


39. 


»Iimic  TluMsh  Lath    8yn.  iii.  n.  40,  No.  i^.-Arct.  Zool.  ii.  No.  194  -Turdu. 
P°'/j;'°^'r'  ^^-.^^f-  !:.P-  %,  No    10  -Le  grand  .noquenr,  /W  ZZt 


ORPHEUS  POLraL0TTUS.-Sv,A,«»o^. 

rurdus  poK-loltus,  Bonap.  Synop.p.  74. -The  Mocking  Bird.  Aud.  p)  x.i   Om 

Biog.  108. 

This  celebrated  and  very  extraordinary  bird,  in  extent  and  variety 
of  vocal  powers,  stands  unrivalled  by  the  whole  feathered  songS 

,fSyS:ied  to         ''  '"*'°"  '"^  '''^'''  "'^''^^  ^"P^™^  "^^rit  i« 

Among  the  many  novelties  which  the  discovery  of  this  part  of  the 

western  continent  U  brought  into  notice,  we  m7y  reckon  that  of  fte 


IH 


i  'I 


106 


MOCKING   BIRD. 


Mocking  Bird,  which  «  "?,"»Ji^  !;rbSNo°rtfrnfsru^^^^^^ 

inhabits  a  very  c^^fJ^-^^S^^B  of  New  England  to  Brazil,  anJ 

having  been  traced  from  the  «^f "  "/    J^^  They  are,  l)owever,  much 

alBo  among  many  of  ?«  ^'^if^in^^^^^^^  no'rth,  of  the  River 
more  numerous  m  those  «tfte8  south,  Uia    i  ^^^  ^^^.^^^^   ^^ 

Delaware;  ^f-l^';^^l^\J^^^^^  low  countrv, 

least  many  of  them)  m  the  tormc   J^  ^^-^^  ^^ture;  accord- 

not  far  from  Uie  sea,  «««»'« '"fi,,^™^!"  tlie  west  than  east  of  Uie 
ingly,  wo  find  the  X'l"' I  ,nX  same  pam  lels  of  latitude.  In  the 
greatran^eof  the  Al^g  mny,  m^^^^^^^  occasionally,  from  Fred- 

severe  winter  of  IHUo-.',  i  i'"'""  Vi, '  „  ^rtH  of  (Jporcia ;  becommg 
ericksburg,  in  V.rg  ma  to^^  HSnce^^o  the  sou2  The  berries 
still  more  numerous  tlie  tart^  «|  ^  Ssiiio  shrub,  many  species  ot 
„f  the  red  cedar,  myrtle,  holly,  ^^^s^  n°  »^";  '  ^  J  p^fusion  of 
smilax,  together  -^th  gum  hemes  gal  b^^^^^^^ 

others  with  which  Uie  l"''""";''^^^^! Tast  Winged  insects,  also, 
abound,  furnish  them  >"^V  n  r.?rrmmrkably  expert  at  catching, 
of  which  they  are  very  fond,  i^f  J^"™ad^UonSl  inducement  to 
abound  there  even  1"^"'^^'',^:'/^  he  Northern  States,  here  he 
residency.  Though  rather  a  sliy  ^'"^.^  "  ;f^;;Xe  cedars,  and  among 
appeared  almost  half  'l«"f  f  ^^^t-  roal  wSe^  P^^^^^  within  a  few 
Uie  tliicketfl  of  ^""•I'^f  "'-^Vw^i^or^^^^^^^^  along  the  shin- 

feet,  playing  around  the  Plj"Jli^j,;f^7\%l,^^^^^^^  solitary 

gles.  During  the  nionUi  of  JfrS  in  the  neighborhood  of  Savan- 
one  singing;  but,  on  the  2d  of  M"^f 'J" ';.  ^aTd^^^^  in  song  with 

„ah,  numbers  of  Uiem  were  heard  on  every  ham^  ^le    f  ^^^^^  „^^^^ 

each  other,  and.  wiUi  the  B™-"  T'  ";,\^Ulat^in^  considerably 
vocal  with  their  melody.  yP""^  ^^f  between  70  and  78  degrees, 
advanced,  and  the  thermometer  ranging  between  ^^^^^  ,nonth,  I  found 
On  arriving  at  New  York,  on  U^Jid  o^  th«  ^^^  ^^  ,,,,etfl 

many  parts  of  the  ^"untry  still  covereuwii  ,  ^^  ^^^^^ 

piled  with  ice  to  the  height  of  two  teet ,  wni  e  ^^ 

Thrush  nor  Mocking  Bird  were  observed,  even  in  me  f 

Pennsylvania,  until  the  20th  of  Apnl.  ^  ^^^^  ^i* 

The  precise  time  at  which  the  flocK  n^  i^       he  resides.    In  the 
nest,  varies  according  to  the  l-^Wud^  ^n  ^S  heje«  j    ^ut 

lower  parts  of  Georgia,  he  commence    ^f^l^ZIin  New  York, 
in  Permsylvania  rarely  before  tlie  10th  ot  May,  ^^,j^^.  ^.^„. 

and  the  states  of  New  E^g^^'^'/^'^^^*^^^^^^    ifoUtary  Uiorn  bush;  an 
ations  to  which  he  gives  tlie  preterencc  ^  j  ^^^ 

almost  impenetrable  thicket;  »"  "'^"g^"  fs'iio  g  eat  obje^ction  with 
favorite  spots,  and  frequently  selected.    It  ib  no  g  j     ,„ansion- 

himthat  these  happen,  sometimes  to  be  near  the  m,  ^^^^^^^^ 
house:  always  ready  to  defend,  but  nejerove^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^^. 
his  nest,  he  very  often  builds  within  »;  «n«^"  "'.  j  ^t  a  greater 
and  not  unfrequently  m  a  pear  or  ^PP^«_Si  The  nest  viries  a 
height  Oian  six  ^'/f^Ss  a'cSdin^to  the  conveniency  of 
little  with  dif^rent  '"f^^^'/'^e/v  complete  one  is  now  lym^ 

S4^^r  KSi^^^^e 'S^,x:;i:^  of  wool  ^na 


MOCKING   BIRD. 


100 


tow ;  and,  loatly,  a  thick  layer  of  fine  fibrouH  rocs,  of  a  light  brown 
color,  lines  the  whole.    The  egps,  one  of  which  i^  represented  on  the 

Elate,  are  four,  Boinetiinos  five,  of  a  cinorooiiH  blue,  marked  with  lurfjo 
lotches  of  brown.  The  female  sits  fourteen  days,  and  generally  pro- 
duces two  broods  in  the  season,  unless  robbed  of  her  eggs,  in  which 
case  she  will  even  build  and  hiy  the  third  tunc.  She  is,  however, 
extreinely  jealous  of  her  nest,  and  very  apt  to  forsake  it  if  nuich  dis- 
turbed, ft  is  even  asserted  by  some  of  our  bird-dealers  tluit  the  old 
onert  will  actually  destroy  the  eggs,  and  poison  the  young,  if  either  tlie 
one  or  the  other  havo  been  handled.  Hut  I  cannot  give  credit  to  this 
unnatural  report.  I  know,  from  niy  own  experience,  at  least,  that  it  is 
not  always  their  practice  ;  neitlicr  have  I  ever  witnessed  a  case  of  the 
kind  above  mentioned.  During  the  period  of  incubation,  neither  cat, 
dog,  animal,  nor  man,  can  approach  the  nest  witliout  being  attacked. 
The  cats,  in  particular,  are  persecuted  whenever  they  make  their 
appearance,  till  obliged  to  retreat.  But  his  whole  vengeance  is  most 
particularly  directed  against  that  mortal  enemy  of  his  eggs  and  young, 
tlie  black  snake.  Whenever  tiie  insidious  approaches  of  tliis  reptile 
are  discovered,  the  m^ie  darts  upon  it  with  the  rapidity  of  an  arrow, 
dexterously  eluding  its  bite,  and  striking  it  violently  and  incassantly 
tbout  the  head,  where  it  is  very  vulnerable.  The  snake  soon  becomes 
sensible  of  its  danger,  and  seeks  to  escape ;  but  the  intrepid  defender 
of  his  young  redoubles  his  exertions,  and,  unless  his  antagonist  be  of 
great  magnitude,  often  succeeds  in  destroying  him.  All  its  pretended 
powers  of  fascination  avail  it  nothing  against  the  vengeance  of  this 
nobla  bird.  As  the  snake's  strength  begins  to  flag,  the  Mocking  Bird 
seizes  and  lifts  it  up,  partly,  from  the  ground,  beating  it  with  his  wings  ; 
ind,  when  the  business  is  completed,  he  returns  to  the  repository  of 
his  young,  mounts  the  summit  of  the  hush,  and  pours  out  a  torrent  of 
song  in  token  of  victory. 

As  it  is  of  some  consequence  to  be  able  to  distinguish  a  young 
male  bird  from  a  female,  the  following  marks  may  be  attended  to ; 
by  which  some  pretend  to  be  able  to  distinguish  them  in  less  than 
a  week  after  they  are  hatched.  Tlieso  are,  tlie  breadth  and  purity  of 
the  white  on  the  wings,  for  tliat  on  the  tail  is  not  so  much  to  be 
depended  on.  This  white,  in  a  full-growi.  male  bird,  spreads  over  the? 
whole  nine  primaries,  down  to,  and  considerably  below,  their  covorts, 
which  are  also  white,  sometimes  slightly  tipped  with  brown.  Tlie 
white  of  the  primaries  also  extends  equally  far  on  botli  vanes  of  the 
feathers.  In  tiie  female,  the  white  is  less  pure,  spreads  over  only 
seven  or  eight  of  the  primaries,  does  not  descend  so  far,  and  extends 
considerably  fartiier  down  on  the  broad,  than  on  the  narrow,  side  of 
the  feathers.    The  black  is  also  more  of  a  brownish  cast. 

The  young  birds,  if  intended  for  the  cage,  ought  not  to  be  left  till 
they  are  nearly  ready  to  fly,  but  should  be  taken  rather  young  tian 
otliorwise ;  ami  may  be  fed,  every  half  hour,  with  milk,  tliickened  with 
Indian  meal ;  mixing  occasionally  with  it  a  little  fresh  meat,  cut  or 
minced  very  fine.  After  they  begin  to  eat  of  their  own  accord,  they 
ought  still  to  be  fed  by  hand,  though  at  longer  intervals,  and  a  few 
cherries,  strawberries,  fee,  now  and  then  tiirown  in  to  them.  The 
same  sort  of  food,  adding  grasslioppers  and  fruit,  particularly  the 
various  kinds  of  berries  in  which  they' delight,  and  plentv  of  clear,  fine 


ill 


no 


MOCKING  BIRD. 


beside  Imn.    Or,  >    ''y""'  "',"    ±  Ha.nn  pereoii, 

"  tII;:  ZLSinie  Mc,ckin«  Bml,  thougl.  none  of  tho  Lonu^lie^t, 

„,o«t  every  modulation,  '^'^  >  'i'V  ,*^  f "' J'^,;  i^,,     !„  ...eaBuro  and 

K'Se  Jitin/a  mere  accompaniment.  Neit  or  is  ^s  b  ruin  a  to- 
aother  imitative.  Ilirt  own  native  notes,  winch  are  easily  (n8nnt,ui8ii 
S  "by  rhas-arJ  well  ac.,uainted  with  f--  «f  "^  S"^  Sv 
birds,  are  bold  and  full,  and  varied  .een.in«-  y  bey  nd  all  im^.  i  bey 
consist  of  short  expressions  ol  two,  three,  or,  at  the  "'7^' r^f  .Vipm 
«v  Kbles-  eeiSrallv  iiitcrsnorscd  with  imitations,  and  all  of  them 
SS^^ifh^^o^teinphass  and  rapidity  ;am^^^^^^^^^ 

imposed  on  by  tliis  admirable  immic,  and  are  decoyed,  by  Uie  tanciea 
»  Travels,  p.  32.     lulrod 


I 


MOCKING  IIIRI), 


111 


callB  of  thoir  mates,  or  divo,  witli  paMJp.Uition,  into  the  tnpth  of 

S"„V  f '"  "TT  '•'  ^I'V^'l  ""f''"'^^'  '"  •-  tl."  Sparrow  ilawll 
11.0  Mocking  Bird  lo.si,H  httlo  of  tli.-powm-  and  energy  of  hi.  H<„.tf 

cLonri?r"'"\  ■'"  '"'  ''*'"!^'«^''^'^^'-^l  "tat.-,  when  ho  cuLnonoerS 
career  of  sonjf,  it  is  .n.po.sH.ble  to  stand  by  miintorcBtcd.     Ho  uluHtlen 
fur  the  do|(,_Ca.sar  Hturti,  up,  wa^-.s  jifs  tail,  a„d  runs  to  moot  his 
n  antor.      fo  H.pioaks  out  like  a  hurt  (Jhu  ^.on.-und  the  Hen  hurrio. 
about  with  hani,M„^,w.ngH,and  briHtird  feathorn,  cluckinfr  to  prut.-ct 
U.  injured  brood.    The  barkin-  of  the  dojr,  the  u.ewiniF  of  the  cat, 
the  creakinff  of  a  pasHinj,'  wJie.'lbam.w,  follo^v,  wiUi  fr'-'-^it  truth  and 
rapuiity.      fo  repoata  tho  tunc  tuu;:ht  hin.  by  his  nm.tor,  though  of 
conH.derable  lenj^th,  fully  and  laitiilully.     J lo  runs  over  the  (.uivdriuLrs 
0    tho  Canary,  and  the  clear  whistling  of  the  Virginia  NStinll 
or  Red-Bird,  with  ai.ch  Buperior  execution  and  ellCct,  that  The  „rorti- 
fie    Hongstors  feel  their  own  a.fenority,  an.l  become  aito^rether  silent ; 
wlulo  ho  seems  to  riumpli  in  their  defeat  by  redoubliuir'FuH  exertions 
Thi8  excessive  fondness  for  variety,  however,   in  tiie  o.jinion  of 
some,  injures  his  sonfr.     IIis  elevatod  imitations  of  the  Brown  Thrush 

of  the  Blue-B.rd,  which  he  ex.pusitoly  manages,  are  mingled  with  the 
screamniLMd  Swal  ows,  or  the  cackling  of  liens;  amidst  the  simple 
melody  of  tho  Robin,  wo  are  suddenly  surprised  b^  the  shrill  reitera- 

JaTMartn  rr'^""-"'!''  "'"'^  ^!"  ""^^^  °'  ^'^  Killdeer  Blue 
Jay,  Martin  BaltUi.ore,  and  twenty  others,  succeed,  wiUi  such  impos- 
ing reality,  hat  wo  look  round  for  the  originals,  and  discover  with 
nstomshment,  hat  the  sole  performer  in  thTs  singular  concert  s  the 
admirable  bird  now  before  us.  During  this  exhibition  of  his  powe^! 
ho  spreads  lus  wu.gs,  expands  his  tail,  and  throws  himself  around  the 
ouge  ,n  a  1  the  ecstasy  of  enthusiasni,  seeming  not  only  to  sin.r,  bit 
to  dance,  keeping  tune  to  the  measure  of  his  own  music.  Both  lA  his 
native  and  domesticated  state,  during  the  solemn  stillness  of  nio-ht 
as  soon  as  the  moon  rises  i„  silent  majesty,  he  begins  his  delightful 
solo,  and  serenades  us  the  livelong  night  with  a  lull  display  of  his 
So  ''**''""""'  "'      "^  neighborhood  ring  with  his  inimitable 

Were  it  not  to  seem  invidious  in  the  eyes  of  foreigners,  1  might,  in 
this  place  make  a  co,nparativ.<  statement  between  the  powers  of  Uie 
Mocking  Bird,  and  the  only  bird,  I  believe,  in  the  world,  worthy  of 
being  compared  wrtli  him,_t!ie  European  Nightingale.  This,  how- 
ever,  I  am  unable  to  do  from  my  own  observation,  havin.r  never 
myself  heard  the  song  of  tlie  latter;   and,  even  if  1  had,  peSiaps 

•  Tlie  hunters  in  llie  Southern  Stales,  when  sctline  oui  upon  an  excursion  bv 
gn,  as  soon  as  they  hear  the  Mocking  Bird  l,egi„  tS  sing,  ifnow  that  the  moon  i^ 

A  certain  nnonymous  author,  speakins  of  the  Mookins  Birds  in  the  island  of 
Jamaica  and  the.r  practice  ofsinginff  l.yn.oonhght,  thus  gravely  philosopS  and 
attempts  to  account  or  the  habit.  "  It  "is  not  certain,"  says  h?'  X  her  They  are 
kep  so  wakeful  by  the  clearness  of  tho  light,  or  by  any  extraordinary  atte.aoYand 
vigilance  at  such  times  for  the  proiectiou  .,f  ,h„fr  nursery  f°"nZ  Sea  «- 
saults  of  the  Owl  and  the  Night  kawk.  It  is  possible  that  fea  may  opem^  u^a 
Aem,  much  m  the  same  manner  as  it  has  been  observed  to  affect  somn  cowar^v 
persons,  who  wh.stle  stoutly  ,n  a  lonesome  place,  while  their  mind  is  L  tafed  w  X 
the  Urror  of  tlaeves  or  hohgobVnn."  -  History  of  Jamaica,  vol.  iu.  p.  S  quarto 


JJ2  MOCKING  BIKD. 

something  might  .0  lai.l  to  the  score  of  V^;^  ^^.^^ 
biographer,  I  am  ^"'^^""'^^""SLui^ed  English  naturalist  and 
reader  with  the  opm^  jL^riTlIonorablc  Raines  Barrington 
XTt  £r.e'  h-e  rdo^t^ci^n^^  was  vice-pres.dent  of 

tlie  Royal  Society,  to  which  ^^  was  addressed.  ^^^^.^^^ 

"It  may  not  be  impropor  here      ays  ^^^f^^^^^^  ,„„,petitor 
whether  the  NighUngale  may  jt  h^^^^^^  ^^^,  ^^^^,^„^^^ 

in  the  American  Mocking  ^j^'^^^'g  superior  to  that  of  the  other 
that  the  concert  m  tlie  ^-^^P^""  ™  ^^'Sver,  to  hear  tlie  Ameri- 
partB  of  the  globe."  "I  have  l^P^^^'^' ^'517/^8  Vo-els  and  Scotta, 
Ln  Mocking  Bird  >"  great^)ertection  ^^Jf^^J  J,«»,,in  living,  and 
in  Love  Lane,  Eastcheap.     1  his  Dira  is  u^i  minute, 

hath  been  in  Kn^'^"^ these  six  yea  b     Du^^^^^  the  Bpac         ^ 
he  imitated  Uie  Woodlark,Chaffinch  Blac  bird,  ii        ,      ^.J  ^^^^^ 

I  was  told  also  that  h«^:^«"]J,,^,^^^,^thou.^h  his^^^      comes  nearest  to 
to  have  no  choice  in  his  imitationb,  thou  n  m    1  p  ^^  ^^ 

our  Nightingale  «f  any  bird  I  hu^^  ycUntt  wi    •     wim     ^  ^.^  ^^^ 
original  notes,  however,  ot  this  bird,     e  are  suu  ai  a        , 
only  be  known  by  those  who  are  ac_c ."^^^^^^^^^  „s,  that  thi 

of  'the  other  American  birds     ^^f  ^  J^^^^^^^^  „ot  to  have  been 

natural  song  is  excellent ;t  ""^^^^^.J"',,:'^^^      ^-hat  were  the  gemiine 

long  enough  in  America  ^o  ^^.t Se    b^  ^  ^^^^" 

notes:  wiUi  us,  mimics  do  not  often  bUcceeaD^^^^        fully  equal  to  the 

gale,  and,  as  I  can  with  ;;«5^J?"f  ^,3j^°\,e^S  capable  of  exactly 
long  of  almost  e^  ry  other  bird,  ^'/^^^f^f^ J""' ' ^„„: jTais. _  his  vocal 
imiUting  various  "ther  sounds  and  vmc^Bytan™^^^^^^^ 

k^l££'i:S^r:S:iSli  in  ..  I^^  ana 
if  we  believe,  with  Shakspear^,  that 

The  Niditineale,  if  she  should  sing  by  Hay, 
When  every^Go^se  is  oacklinK  would  be  ihough. 
No  belter  a  musician  than  a  Wren, 

„h.,  n,™iwe  «.ink  of  that  ^"!^^^i:^X^^X\!ZyX,- 

-    „!■• I.;--/  T-^«on/-*V/)n.«.  vol.  Ixii.  part  ii.  p.  284. 

t  Travels,  vol.  i.  p.  219. 


'^1 


MOCKING   I3IRD. 


113 


foreiffn  country,  he  is  declared,  by  the  best  judges  in  that  country,  to 
be  fully  equal  to  the  song  of  their  sweetest  bird  in  its  whole  compass? 
Tiio  supposed  degradation  of  his  song  by  the  introduction  of  extra- 
neous sounds  and  unexpected  iniitations,  is,  in  fact,  one  of  the  chief 
excellences  of  this  bird ;  as  these  changes  give  a  perpetual  novelty 
to  his  strain,  keep  attention  constantly  awake,  and  impress  every 
hearer  with  a  deeper  interest  in  what  is  to  follow.  In  short,  if  we 
believe  in  the  truth  of  that  mathematical  axiom,  that  the  whole  is 
greater  than  a  part,  all  that  is  excellent  or  delightful,  amusing  or 
striking,  in  the  music  of  birds,  must  belong  to  that  adnurable  songster, 
whose  vocal  powers  are  equal  to  the  whole  compass  of  their  whole 
strains. 

The  native  notes  of  the  Mocking  Bird  have  a  considerable  resem- 
blance to  those  of  the  Brown  Thrush,  but  may  easilv  be  distinguished 
by  their  greater  rapidity,  swentness,  energy  of  expre'ssion,  and  variety. 
Both,  however,  have,  in  many  parts  of  the  United  States,  particularly 
in  those  to  the  south,  obtained  the  name  of  Mocking  Bird  :  the  first,  or 
Brown  Thrush,  from  its  inferiority  of  song,  being  cnllcd  the  French, 
and  the  otiier  the  English  Mocking  Bird,  — a  mode  of  expression 
probably  originating  in  the  prejudices  of  our  forefathers,  witli  whom 
every  thing  French  was  inferior  to  every  tiling  English.* 

The  Mocking  Bird  is  frequently  taken  in  trap-cages,  and,  by  proper 
management,  may  be  made  sufficiently  tame  to  sing.  The  upper  parts 
of  the  cage  (which  ought  to  be  of  wood)  should  be  kept  covered, 
until  the  bird  becomes  a  little  more  reconciled  to  confinement.  If 
placed  in  a  wire  cage,  uncovered,  he  will  soon  destroy  himself  in  at- 
tempting to  get  out.  These  birds,  however,  by  proper  treatment,  may 
be  brought  to  sing  perhaps  snporior  to  those  raised  by  hand,  and  cos't 
less  trouble.  The  opinion  which  the  naturalists  of  Europe  entertain  of 
the  great  difficulty  of  raising  the  Mocking  Bird,  and  that  not  one  in 
ten  survives,  is  very  incorrect.  A  person  called  on  me  a  few  days  ago, 
with  twenty-nine  of  these  birds,  old  and  young,  which  he  had  carrfed 
about  the  fields  with  him  for  s.veral  days,  for  the  convenience  of  feed- 
ing tiiem  while  engaged  in  trapping  others.  lie  had  carried  them  tiiirty 
miles,  and  intended  carrying  thoni  ninety-six  miles  farther,  viz.,  to  New 
York,  and  told  me  that  he  did  not  expect  to  lose  one  out  of  ten  of 
them.  Cleanliness,  and  regularity  in  fe-ding,  are  the  two  principal 
things  to  be  attended  to;  and  these  rarely  fiil  to  succeed. 

Tlie  eagerness  with  which  the  nest  of  the  Mocking  Bird  is  souHit 
after  in  the  neighborhood  if  Philadelphia,  has  rendered  this  bird  ex- 
tremely scarce  for  an  extent  of  several  miles  round  the  city.  In  the 
country  round  Wilmington  and  Newcastle,  they  are  very  numerous, 
from  whence  they  aie  frequently  brought  here  for  sale.  The  usual 
price  of  a  singing  bird  is  from  seven  to  fifteen,  and  even  twenty  dollars. 
I  have  known  fifty  dollars  paid  for  a  remarkably  fine  singer,  and  one 
instance  where  one  hundred  dollars  were  refused  for  a  still  more  extra- 
ordinarv  one. 


The  observations  of  Mr.  Barrington,  m  the  paper  above  referred  to,  make  thi« 
supposilion  still  more  probable.  "Some  Nightingales,"  says  he,  "arc  so  vasUy 
iiilerior,  that  the  birc-calchers  will  not  keep  them,  branding  them  with  the  name  of 
rrciicnmcn."     F.  soo. 

10* 


114 


MOCKING  BIRD. 


Attempts  have  been  made  to  induce  these  charming  birds  to  pair, 
and  rear  their  younfr,  in  a  state  of  confinement,  and  the  result  has  been 
sucli  aa  to  prove  it,  by  proper  management,  perfectly  practicable.  In 
the  sprino-  of  1808,  a  Mr.  Klein,  living  in  North  feeventh  Street, 
Phikdelphiu,  partitioned  off  about  twelve  feet  square  in  the  third  story 
of  his  house.  This  was  lighted  by  a  pretty  large  wjre-gnited  window. 
In  the  centre  of  this  small  room  he  planted  a  cedar  bush,  five  or  six 
feet  iiiffh,  in  a  box  of  eartli,  and  scattered  about  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  materials  suitable  for  building.  Into  this  place  a  male  and 
female  Mocking  Bird  were  put,  and  soon  began  to  build.  The  female 
laid  five  eo-<rs,  all  of  which  she  hatched,  and  fed  the  young  with  great 
affection  until  they  were  nearly  able  to  fly-  Business  calling  tiie 
proprietor  from  home  for  two  weeks,  ho  left  the  birds  to  the  care  of  his 
domestics,  and,  on  his  return,  found,  to  his  great  regret,  that  they 
had  been  neglected  in  food.  The  young  ones  were  all  dead,  and  the 
parents  themselves  nearly  famished.  The  same  pair  have  again  com- 
menced building  this  season,  in  the  same  place,  and  have  at  this  time, 
Julv  4,  1809,  three  young,  likelv  to  do  well.  The  place  might  be  fitted 
up  with  various  kinds  of  shrubbery,  so  as  to  resemble  their  nat've 
thii-kets,  and  ought  to  be  as  remote  from  noise  and  interruption  of 
company  as  possible,  and  strangers  rarely  allowed  to  disturb,  or  even 

approach  them.  ,„  .     ,       ,  j  .u-  ^ 

The  Mocking  Bird  is  nine  and  a  half  inches  long,  and  thirteen  in 
breadth.     Some  individuals  are,  iiowever,  larger,  and  some  smaller, 
those  oftlie  first  hatch  being  uniformly  the  biggest  and  stoutest       Ihe 
upper  parts  of  the  head,  neck,  and  back,  are  a  dark,  brownish  ash,  and 
when  new  moulted,  a  fine  light  gray ;  the  wings  and  tail  are  nearly 
black,  the  first  and  second  rows  of  coverts  tipped  with  white ;  the  prima- 
ry coverts,  in  some  males,  are  wholly  white,  in  others,  tinged  with 
brown.    The  three  first  primaries  are  white  from  their  roots  as  far  as 
their  coverts ;  the  white  on  the  next  six  extends  from  an  inch  to  one 
and  three  fourths  farther  down,  descending  equally  on  both  sides  of 
the  feather;  the  tail  is  cuneiform,  the  two  exterior  feathers  wholly 
white,  the  rest,  except  the  middle  ones,  tipped  with  white ;  the  chin  is 
white;  sides  of  the  neck,  breast,  belly,  and  vent,  a  brownish  white, 
much  purer  in  wild  birds  than  in  those  tliat  have  been  domesticated; 
iris  of  the  eye,   yellowish  cream  colored,  inclining  to  golden;   bill, 
black,  the  base  of  the  lower  mandible,  whitish ;  legs  and  feet,  black, 
and  strong.     The  female  very  much  resembles  the  male;  what  ditter- 
ence  there  is,  has  been  already  pointed  out  in  a  preceding  part  of  this 
account.     The  breast  of  the  young  bird  is  spotted  like  that  of  the 
Thrush.t 

*  Many  people  are  of  opinion  that  there  are  tw  >  sorts,  the  lar^c  and  the  small 
Mockins"nir<i  bill,  after  examining  great  numbers  of  these  birds  m  various  regions 
of  the  ifniied  Slates,  I  am  satisfied  that  this  variation  of  size  is  merely  accidental, 
or  owiiijr  to  llie  circumstance  above  mentioned.  ,     ,,    .    ,  ,„       ,     rr>  „„„„. 

t  A  i>ir.l  is  <lescrib.-.l  in  ihe  Northern  Zoology  as  the  Varied  Hiriish  of  Pennant, 
the  'Jhirihis  v^'vim  of  I,aiham,  which  will  lank  as  an  addition  to  the  North  Aincr- 
ican  sp<.<ics  of  this  ^,  nus,  an.l  has  boeu  named  by  Mr.  Swanison  O  ""•"''""'«' 
Thmsf^ikc  Mockins  Hird.  Mr.  Swainson  has  changed  the  name  of  La  ham.  to 
give  it  one  expressive  of  its  form  ;  as  he  consi<lcrs  the  siructure  mtcrmediate  betweeu 
hrpheui  and  ^urdu^,  though  leaning  most  to  O-.t.  former.    According  t"  Dr.  Rich 


HUMMING  BIRD. 


115 


Mr.  William  Bartram  observes  of  the  Mockin<r  Bird,  that  "<■  formerly 
eay  thirty  or  forty  years  ago,  they  were  numerous,  and  often  staid  all 
winter  with  us,  or  the  year  through,  feeding  on  tlie  berries  of  ivy,  smi- 
lax,  grapes,  persimmons,  and  other  berries.  The  ivy  (Hedera  Mix) 
they  were  particularly  fond  of,  though  a  native  of  Europe.  We  have  an 
ancient  plant  adhermg  to  the  wall  of  the  house,  covering  many  yards 
of  surface;  this  vine  is  very  fruitful,  and  here  many  would  feed  and 
lodge  during  the  winter,  and,  in  very  severe  cold  weather,  sit  on  the 
top  of  the  chimney  to  warm  themselves."  He  also  adds,  «  I  have  ob- 
served  that  the  Mocking  Bird  ejects  from  his  stomach  throuxrh  his 
mouth  the  hard  kernels  of  berries,  such  as  smilax,  g.-apes,  &c.,  retain- 
ing the  pulpy  part."  *  o    ^    >        > 


HUMMING  BlRD.t  -TROCHILUS  COLUBRIS.  -  Fios.  40,  41. 

Trochilus  Mtis  Linn  Systi.  p.  191,  No.  12.  _  L'Oiseau  mouche  i  gorge  rouge 
de  la  Carolme,  Bnss.  Orn.  "i.  P.  716,  No.  13,  t.  36,  Fig.  6.  -Lc  fiubis,  Bu% 
Ots  VI  J.  13.- Humming  Bird,  Catesb.  Car.  i.  63.  _  fied-throated  Humming 
Museum%oA  female.- Lath.  Syn.  ii.  769,  No.  35. -Pea/A 

TROCHILUS  COLUBRTS.  —  Utinmos. 

Trochilus  colubris,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  98.  —  The  Ruby-throated  Humming  Bird.^urf 
^NoHr'ZodT     3l'  '■  ^^— '^'°'=''''"«  «'°'"^'ris,  Northern  Hamming  Bird, 

Nature,  in  every  department  of  her  work,  seems  to  delight  in  vari- 
ety ;  and  the  present  subject  of  our  history  is  almost  as  sino'ular  for 
Its  mmuteness,  beauty,  want  of  song,  and  manner  of  feeding,  as  the 
prenf  ding  is  for  unrivalled  excellence  of  notes,  and  plainness  of  plu- 

ardson,  it  was  discovered  by  Captain  Cook  at  Nootka  Sound,  and  described  by 
Latham  from  tiiose  specimens.  —  Ed.  '' 

*  Letter  from  Mr.  Bartram  to  tiie  author. 

t  The  "  Fairy  Humming  Birds,"  "  The  Jewels  of  Ornithology," 

"  Least  of  the  wlngod  vagrants  of  the  sky," 

Uiough  amply  dispersed  over  the  southern  continent  of  the  New  World  from  their 
delicate  and  s  ender  sUncture,  being  unable  to  bear  the  severities  of  a  hardier  cli- 
mate, are,  with  two  exceptions,  withdrawn  from  its  northern  parts ;  and  it  is  with 
wonder  that  we  see  creatures  of  such  tiny  dimensions  occasionally  darinff  to  brave 
even  the  snows  and  frosts  of  a  northern  latitude.  Tlie  present  species,  thouffh 
sometimes  exceeding  its  appointet'  Ime,  is  obliged  to  seek  warmer  abodes  during 
winter;  and  it  is  another  subject  for  astonishment  and  reflection,  how  they  are 
enabled  to  perform  a  lengthened  migration,  where  the  slightest  gale  would  waft 
them  far  f.om  their  proper  course.  Mr.  Audubon  is  ol  opinion,  that  they  mi- 
grate during  the  night,  passing  through  the  air  in  long  undulations,  raising  them- 
selves for  some  distance  at  an  angle  of  about  40°.  and  then  falling  in  a  curve  ;  but 
he  adds  tiiat  the  smallness  of  rheir  size  prpckidcs  the  possibility  h{  following  *em 
farther  than  fifty  or  sixty  yards,  even  with  >  good  glass. 

The  Humming  Birds,  or  what  are  generally  known  l)v  the  genus  Trochilus  of 
liinnoeus  have  been,  through  the  researches  of  late  travellers  and  natiiriUists  vasti- 


116 


HUMMING  BIRD. 


r 


h's^ 


mage.  Though  this  interesting  -^^,^T'^'}^.S'^2"l''^e^l  t7lt 
henda  upwards  of  seventy  species,  all  of  which,  ^.^^"^a  ver^  lew  ex 

coptions!  are  natives  of  A merica  and  its  a.  Jf «"  jf  "f ' '^^  ''  g\X 
gular  Umt  Uie  species  now  before  us  should  be  the  only  one  of  its  tribe 
that  ever  visits  the  territory  of  the  United  b  ates.  s^,a„„„ii, 

'Vrroidinrr  to  the  observations  of  my  friend  Mr.  Abbot,  ol  Havannan 
in  Geor    a  iho  has  been  engaged  these  thirty  years  m  collecting  a.ul 

LwiSu'b  ects  of  natural  hi'story  in  that  l>^^omilX:i^nS^M 
mine  Bird  makes  its  first  appearance  there,  from  the  south,  a^mne^oa 
of  Mnrch  two  weeks  earlier  than  it  does  in  the  county  of  Burke,  Mxty 

on  to  tlie  northward,  as  far  as  the  interior  f  Canada  where  lUs  seen 
in  jrroat  numbers,*  the  wonder  is  excited  how  so  feebly  conbiruciea 
"if  SicTaUttle  creature  can  make  its  way  over  -ch  extensive 
rejrions  of  lakes  and  forests,  among  so  many  enemies,  all  its  superiors 
in?trenrth  and  magnitude.     But  its  very  minuteness  the  rapidity  o 
iteSfwhkh  almost  eludes  the  eye,  and  that  admirable  instinc 
reaZ  or  wTatever  else  it  may  be  called,  and  daring  courage  w liic 
He  ven  has  implanted  in  its  bosom,  are  >^  S^'Jf^^^P™  S^ 
In  these  we  may  also  perceive  the  reason  why  an  all-wise  iToviaence 
has  ira' "tluT  ittle  hero  an  exception  to  a  rule  w  uch  prevails  almost 
nivSaUv  through  nature,  viz.,  that  the  smallest  species  of  a  tr  be 

a  nrinL  proUfic.  The  Eagle  lays  «f .--;:--  ^'^^^/e^ 
Trow  nv  ^  •  the  Titmouse,  seven  or  eight;  the  small  buropeau  wren, 
SejA  the  Humming  "-d  h.o :  aiid  yet  this  hiUer  is  abundantly 
more  numerous  in  America  than  the  Wren  is  i"  Eu  ope 

About  th.^  yoth  of  April,  the  Humming  Bird  usually  arrives  lu 
PenSan  a,  and,  about  the  10th  of  May,  begins  to  build  its  nest. 
Th  r  s'  'ener'ally  fixed  on  the  upper  side  of  a  horizontal  brand,  not 
innon.-  the  t-vicrs,  but  on  the  body  of  Uie  branch  itself.  Yet  1  Jiave 
kncTvn  ustanccs  where  it  was  attached  by  the  side  to  an  old  moss- 
^o;"  S  and  others  whereit  was  fastened  on  -fr^^ng  rank  sU^ 
OT  w-e1  in  the  garden;  but  these  cases  are  rare.  In  the  woods,  it 
Jeiy  5  ;«  clioos^es  a  white  oak  sapling  to  build  on ;  and  ^  th«  "  f  ar^^^ 
or  garden,  selects  a  pear-tree  for  that  purpose.    The  branch  i&  sel- 


inc 
show 


.easel  in  .heir  ,.un.bers ;  Ihev  f^™  »,'^[«^--;  tf  j^^rbc^lr'^^Mef;' iS 
,w  a  .onsi.lcrable  var>e.y  of  lorm  ""d  cha  .  c  r  ,  a"^  '>»  ^,^«'^.      ^^^  „.„^, . 


show  a  considerable  varie.y  "'  '°'T,  »"".  ^'''  '  ^    '' ;;„fi;-;     ,„- i|,c  New  World, 
sesscs  no  tlirecl  prototype.  „„„  j„,i  ,„  „-<  rfiscovered  by  Captain  Cook  in 


HUMMING  BIRD. 


117 


(lom  more  than  ten  feet  from  the  giound.    The  nest  is  about  an  inch 
in  diameter,  and  as  nmch  in  deptii.     A  very  complete  one  is  now 
lying  before  me,  and  the  materials  of  which  it  is  comi)oscd  are  as 
tollows :— J  he  outward  coat  is  formed  of  small  pieces  of  a  species 
of  bluish  gray  lichen  that  vegetates  on  old  trees  and  fences,  thickly 
glued  on  vyith  the  saliva  of  the  bird,  giving  firmness  and  consistency 
to  the  whole,  as  well  as  keeping  out  moisture.     Within  this  are  thick, 
matted  layers  of  the  fine  wings  of  certain  flying  seeds,  closely  laid 
together;  and,  lastly,  tlie  downy  substance  from  the  great  mullein, 
and  Irom  the  stalks  of  the  common  fern,  lines  the  whole.    The  base 
ot  the  nest  is  continued  round  the  stem  of  the  branch,  to  which  it 
closely  adheres ;  and,  when  viewed  from  below,  appears  a  mere  mossy 
knot  or  accidental  protuberance.    The  eggs  are  two,  pure  white,  and  of 
equal  thickness  at  both  ends.    The  nest  and  eggs  in  the  plate  were 
copied   with  great  precision,  and  by  actual  measurement,  from  one 
just  taken  in  from  the  woods.     On  a  person's  approaching  their  nest, 
the  little  proprietors  dart  around  with  a  humming  sound,  passing  fre- 
quently witiiin  a  few  inches  of  one's  head;  and,  should  the  youn«r  be 
newly  hatched,  the  female  will  resume  her  place  on  the  nest  even 
wlule  you  stand  within  a  yard  or  two  of  the  spot.     The  precise  period 
ot  incubation  I  am  unable  to  give ;  but  the  young  are  in  the  habit 
a  short  time  before  they  leave  the  nest,  of  thrustiu'r  their  bills  into 
tha  mouths  of  their  parents,  and  sucking  what  they  ha've  broucrln  them. 
I  never  coi'.Ll   perceive  ti».it  they  carried   them  any   animal  food- 
though,  fiom  circumstances  Uiat  will  presently  be  mentioned,  I  think 
It  higlily  probable  they  do.     As-  1  iiavc  found  their  nests  with  eix^H 
so  late  as  the  12th  of  July,  I  dc   not  doubt  but  that  they  frequently, 
and  perhaps  usually,  raise  two  broods  in  the  same  season. 

The  Humming  Bird  is  extremely  fond  of  tubular  flowers,  and  I 
have  often  stopped,  with  pleasure,  to  observe  his  manoeuvres  amona 
the  blossoms  of  the  trumpet  flower.     When  arrived  before  a  thickel 
of  these,  that  are  full  blown,  ho  poises,  or  suspends,  himself  on  win"- 
for  the  space  of  two  or  three  seconds,  so  steadily,  that  his  wings 
become  invisible,  or  only  like  a  mist;  and  you  can  plainly  distinguish 
the  pupil  of  his  eye  looking  round  with  great  quickness  and  circum- 
spection ;  the  glossy,  golden  green  of  his  back,  and  the  fire  of  his 
throat,  duzzling  in  the  sun,  form  altogether  a  most  interesting  appear- 
ance.    The  position  into  which  his  body  is  usually  thrown  while  in 
the  act  of  thrusting  his  slender  tubular  tongue  into  tho  flower,  to  ex- 
tract Its  sweets,  is  exhibited  in  the  figure  on  the  plate.     When  he 
alights,  which  is  frequently,  he  always  prefers  the  small,  dead  twigs  of 
a  tree  or  bush,  where  he  dresses  and  arranges  his  pluman-e  with  great 
dexterity.    His  only  note  is  a  single  chirp,  not  louder  than  that  of  a 
small  cricket  or  grasshopper,  generally  uttered  while  passing  from 
flower  to  flower,  or  when  engaged  in  fight  with  his  fellows ;  for,  when 
two  males  meet  at  the  same  bush  or  flower,  a  battle  instantly  takes 
place ;  and  the  combatants  ascend  in  the  air,  chirping,  darting  and 
circling  around  each  other,  till  the  eye  is  no  longer  able  to  follow 
them.    The  conqueror,  however,  generally  returns  to  the  place  to 
reap  the  fruits  of  his  victory.    I  have  seen  him  attack,  and  for  a  few 
moments  tease  the  King  Bird ;  and  have  also  seen  him,  in  his  turn, 
assaulted  by  a  humble-bee,  which  he  soon  put  to  flitrht    He  is  one 


i* 


118 


HUMMING  BIRD. 


of  those  few  birds  that  are  universally  beloved;  and  amidst  the  sweet, 
dewv  serenity  of  a  sumtner's  morning,  his  appearance  among  the 
arbo?8  of  honeysuckles,  and  beds  of  flowers,  is  truly  mteresting 

When  the  moniiug  dawns,  and  the  blest  sun  again 
Lifts  his  red  glories  from  the  eastern  mam,     _ 
Then  through  our  woodbines,  wet  with  ghttcnng  dewi, 
The  flower-led  Humming  Bird  his  round  pursues; 
Sips,  with  inserted  tube,  the  honey'd  blooms. 
And  chirps  his  gratitude  as  round  he  roams  ; 
While  richest  roses,  though  in  crimson  drest. 
Shrink  from  the  splendor  of  his  gorgeous  breast. 
What  heavenly  lints  in  mingling  radiancjj  tly  . 
liuch  rapid  movement  gives  a  different  dye ; 
Like  scales  of  burnish'd  gold  they  dazzhng  show, 
Now  sink  to  shade  —  now  like  a  furnace  glow  '. 
The  sin-rularity  of  this  litUe  bird  has  induced  many  Persons  to 
atletnpt  to  raise  them  from  tlio  nest,  and  accustom  them  to  the  cage. 
Mr  Coffer    of  Fairfax  county,  Virginia,  a  gentleman  who  has  pad 
great  attention  to  the  n.anners  and  peculiarities  of  our  native  birds  told 
fne  t  mt  hfraisedand  kept  two,  for  some  months,  in  a  cage  ;  supply  ng 
them  with  honey  dissolved  in  water,  on  whichthey  readily  fed.     As  the 
8 weetn'^  s  of  the  liquid  frequently  brought  small  flies  and  gnats  about 
U^  ca"re  and  cup,  the  birds  amused  themselves  by  snapping  at  them 
0^1  win^  and  swallowing  them  with  eagerness,  so  tha    these  msecte 
forS'no  inconsiderable  piirt  of  tJio.r  food.    Mr.  Charles  W.  Ion 
Pea  e,  proprietor  of  the  museum,  tells  me  that  he  had  two  young 
Hummincr  Birds,  which  he  raised  from  the  nest.    Thev  used  to  fj^ 
about    he  room,  and  would  frequently  perch  on  Mrs.  Pcale's  shoulder 
to  be  fed      When  the  sun  shone  Strongly  in  the  chamber  he  has 
observed  them  darting  after  the  motes  that  A-ted  'n  the  lig  t,  a 
Flycatchers  would   after  flies.    In  the   summer  of  1803,  a  nest  ot 
voW  Humming  Birds  was  brought  mc,  that  were  nearly  f^t  to  fly. 
S  ^f^^mTc^ually  flew  out  by^the  window  the  same  eve^'ng  and 
Sififf  against  a  wall,  was  killed.     The  other  refused  food,  and  the 
next  morS  I  could  but  just  perceive  that  it  had  life      A  lady  m  the 
house  undertook  to  be  its  nurse,  placed  it  m  her  bosom,  and  as  it 
SSan  to  revXdi^solved  a  little  sugar  in  her  mouth,  into  which  she 
tlmistits  bill,  and  it  sucked  with  great  avidity.     I"  this  manner  it 
vabrS..r  up  until  fit  for  the  cage.     I  kept  it  upwards  of]  three 
monthTsGpplieditwith  loaf  sugar  dissolved  in  water,  which  ,t  pre- 
ferred  to   honey  and  water,   ^ivo   it  fresh  flowers  every   morning 
snrnklcdwithUie  liquid,  and  surrounded  the  space  m  which  I  kept 
it^wS  iuze:ihat  it  might  not  injure  itself.    It  nppearcd  gay,  active, 
anTfull  of  spiXhovering  from  flower  to  flower,  as  ,f  in  its  native 
w"ld     and   aUvays   expressed,  by   its   motions   and   chirping,  great 
nCure  at  seein^  fresh  flowers  introduced  to  ,ts  cage.     Numbers  of 
SeXviBUed  it  tVom  motives  of  curiosity;  and  I  took  every  precatj- 
Son  to  ireserve  it,  if  possible,  through  the  wmter.    Unfortunately, 
Keverrby  some  means  it  got'at.  large,  and,  .^ying  about  the  room, 
so  injured  itself  that  it  soon  after  died. 

This  little  bird  is  extremelv  susceptible  of  cold,  and,  it  long  ae 
prived  of  the  animating  influence  of  the  sunbeams,  droops,  and  8^n 
E    A  very  beautiful  male  was  brought  me  this  seaaon,  [1809,] 


HUMMING  BIRD. 


119 


which  I  put  into  a  wire  cage,  and  placed  in  a  retired,  Bliaded  part  of 
the  rooni.  After  fluttering  about  for  some  time,  the  weather  bcm(r  un- 
commonly cool,  It  clung  by  tlie  wires,  and  liung  in  a  seemiinrly  torpid 
state  for  a  whole  forenoon.  No  motion  wliatever  of  the  lungs  could 
be  perceived,  on  the  closest  inspection,  tliough,  at  other  times,  tliis  is 
remarkably  observable ;  the  eyes  were  shut;  and,  when  touched  by 
tlie  finger,  it  gave  no  signs  of  life  or  motion.  I  carried  it  out  to  the 
open  air,  and  placed  it  directly  in  the  rays  of  the  sun,  in  a  sheltered 
situation.  In  a  few  seconds,  respiration  became  very  apparent ;  the 
bird  breathed  faster  and  faster,  opened  its  eyes,  and  began  to  look 
ai)out,  with  as  much  seeming  vivacity  as  ever.  After  it  had  complete- 
ly recovered,  I  restored  it  to  liberty  ;  and  it  flew  off  to  the  withered 
top  of  a  pear-tree,  where  it  sat  for  some  time  dressing  its  disordered 
plumage,  and  tlien  shot  off"  like  a  meteor. 

The  flight  of  the  Humming  Bird,  from  flower  to  flower,  greatly  re- 
sembles that  of  a  bee,  but  is  so  much  more  rapid,  thai;  the  latter  ap- 
pears a  mere  loiterer  to  him.  He  poises  himself  on  wing,  wJiile  he 
thrusts  his  long,  slender,  tubular  tongue  into  the  flowers  in  search  of 
food.  He  sometimes  enters  a  room  by  the  window,  examines  the 
bouquets  of  flowers,  and  passes  out  by  the  opposite  door  or  window. 
He  has  been  known  to  take  refuge  in  a  hot-house  during  tiio  cool 
nights  of  autumn,  to  go  regularly  out  in  tlie  morning,  and  to  return  as 
regularly  in  the  evening,  for  several  days  together. 

The    Humming   Bird  has,  hitherto,  been  supposed  to  subsist  alto- 
gether on  the  honey,  or  liquid  sweets,  which  it  extracts  from  flowers. 
One  or  two  curious  observers  have,  indeed,  remarked,  that  they  have 
found  evident  fragments  of  insects  in  the  stomach  of  this  species;  but 
these  have  been  generally  believed  to  have  been  taken  in  by  accident. 
The  few  opportunities  which  Europeans  have  to  determine  this  point 
by  observations  made  on  the  living  bird,  or  by  dissection  of  the  newly- 
killed  one,  have  rendered  this  mistaken  opinion  almost  general  in  Eu- 
rope.   For  myself,  I  can  speak  decisively  on  this  subject:  I  have  seen 
the  Humming  Bird,  for  half  an  hour  at  a  time,  darting  at  those  little 
groups  of  insects  that  dance  in  the  air  in  a  fine  summer  evening, 
retiring  to  an  adjoining  twig  to  rest,  and  renewing  the  attack  with 
a  dexterity  that  sets  all  our  other  Flycatchers  at  defiance.    I  iiave 
op^ed,  from  time  to  time,  great  numbers  of  these  birds ;  have  exam- 
ined the  contents  of  the  stoniacli  with  suitable  glasses,  and,  in  three 
cases  out  of  four,  have  found  these  to  consist  of  broken  fragments  of 
.nsects.     In  many  subjects,  entire  insects  of  the  coleopterous  class, 
but  very  small,  were  found  unbroken.    The  observations  of  Mr.  Coffer, 
as  detailed  above,  and  the  remarks  of  my  worthy  friend  Mr.  Peale,  are 
corroborative  of  these  facts.    It  is  well  known  tiiat  the  Humi'iino- 
Bird  is  particularly  fond  of  tubular  flowers,  where  numerous  small  in^ 
sects  of  tliis  kind  resort  to  feed  on  tiie  farina,  &c. ;  and  there  is  every 
reason  for  believing  that  he  is  as  often  in  search  of  these  insects  as  of 
honey,  and  that  the  former  compose  at  least  aa  ^reat  a  portion  of  his 
usual  sustenance  as  the  latter.    If  this  food  be  so  necessary  for  the 
parents,  ♦here  is  no  doubt  but  the  young  also  occasionally  partake  of  it 
To  enumerate  all  the  flowers  of  which  this  little  bird  is  fond,  would 
be  to  repeat  the  names  of  half  our  American  Flora.    From  tlie  bloa- 
«om3  of  the  towering  poplar  or  tulip-tree,  tlirough  a  thousand  inter- 


190 


HUMMING  BIRD. 


mediate  flowere,  to  those  of  the  humble  larkspur,  he  ranges  at  will, 
Sid  atost  incessantiy.  Evejy  period  of  the  season  produces  a  fres^ 
mulUtude  of  new  favorites.  Towards  the  month  of  September,  Uiore 
S  a  vellow  flower  which  grows  in  great  luxuriance  along  tlie  sides 
S-  creeks  and  rivers,  ani  in  low,  moist  situations;  it  grows  to  the 
heiffht  of  uvo  or  three  feet,  and  the  flower,  which  is  about  the  mze  of 
a  Sble  han"s  in  Uic  shape  of  a  cap  of  liberty  above  a  luxuriant 
Jrowtof  g^en  loaves.  It 'is  the  Bahannm  ru>li  me  tangcreothot. 
Sistfl  and  is  the  greatest  favorite  with  the  Humming  Bird  of  all  our 
Ter'loweiS  In  some  places,  where  Uiese  plants  abound,  you  n,ay 
8^  a  one  time,  ten  or  twelve  Humming  Birds  darling  about,  and 
StL^ithTnd  pursuincr  each  other.  Al.out  Uie  20Ui  of  September 
S  efnerally  retire  to  tlie  south.  I  have,  indeed,  sometimes  seen  a 
so?ftaK  individual  on  the  28th  and  30th  of  that  month,  and  sometimes 
lve?hi  October:  but  these  cases  are  rare.  About  the  beginning  of 
SSierfttiey  pass  the  southern  boundary  of  the  United  States  into 

The^Humming  Bird  is  three  inches  and  a  half  in  length,  and  four 
and  a  quarter  in  extent;  tlie  whole  back,  upper  part  of  Uie  neck  sides 
under  the  wings,  tail-coverts,  and  two  middle  featliers  of  the  tail,  are 
IL  of  a  rich,  golden  green ;  the  tail  is  forked,  and,  as  well  as  the  wings 
^-  of  a  deep  brownish  purple ;  the  bill  and  eyes  are  black ;  the  legs  and 
feet,  both  of  which  are  extremely  small,  are  also  blt-.k;  tl.e  bill  is 
straight,  very  slender,  a  little  inflated  at  the  tip,  and  very  m^orapetent 
to  the  exploit  of  penetrating  tlie  tough,  sinewy  side  of  a  Crow,  and 
precipitating  it  from  tJie  clouds  to  the  earth,  as  Charlevoix  would  per- 
suade his  readers  to  believe.*  The  nostrils  are  two  small,  oblong  s  its, 
situated  at  tJie  base  of  the  upper  mandible,  scarcely  perceivable  when 
the  bird  is  dead,  though  very  distinguishable  and  prominent  when 
living;  the  sides  of  the  belly,  and  belly  itself,  dusky  white,  mixed 
with  ereen;  but  what  constitutes  the  chief  ornament  ot  this  little 
bird  is  the  splendor  of  tlie  featliers  of  his  tiiroat,  which,  when  gaced 
in  a  proper  position,  glow  witli  all  tlie  brilliancy  of  the  ruby.  These 
feathers  are  of  singular  strengtli  and  texture,  lying  close  together  ike 
scales,  and  vary,  -wTien  moved  before  the  eye,  from  a  deep  black  to  a 
fiery  crimson  and  burning  orange.  The  female  is  destitute  of  this 
ornament,  but  differs  little  in  other  appearance  from  the  male ;  her 
;  tail  is  tipped  with  white,  and  the  whole  lower  parts  are  of  the  same 

I  tint    The  young  birds  of  the  first  season,  both  male  and  female,  have 

■  the  tail  tipped  with  white,  and  the  whole  lower  parts  nearly  white;  in 

,  the  month  of  September,  the  ornamental  feathers  on  the  throat  ot  the 

YOung  males  begin  to  appear.  ,   , ,     ,  i 

!  On  dissection,  the  heart  was  found  to  be  remarkably  large,  nearly 

as  bis  as  the  cranium ;  and  the  stomach,  though  distended  with  tood, 
unco^only  small,  not  exceeding  the  globe  of  tiie  eye,  and  scarcely 
more  than  one  sixth  part  as  large  as  tlie  heart;  the  fibres  of  die  last 
were  also  exceedingly  strong.  The  brain  was  in  large  quantity,  and 
very  thin ;  the  tongue,  from  the  tip  to  an  extent  equal  with  the  length 
of  the  bill,  was  perforated,  forming  two  closely-attached  parallel  and 
cylindrical  tubes;  the  other  extremities  of  the  tongue  corresponded 

»  Uistoire  de  la  Notwelle  France,  iii.  p  186. 


m 


'I'M 


Pll 


t 


lahofSitroA^tfrner 


90  Fn^^" 


THE  WHITE  PELICAN 


9.  M 


TOWIIE  BUNTING. 


121 


exactly  to  those  of  the  Woodpecker,  pasaing  up  the  hmd  head,  and 
reaching  to  the  base  of  the  upper  mandiblo.  Theuo  observationa 
were  verified  in  five  diibrint  subjects,  all  of  whoso  stomacJoi  con- 
tained frajpiienta  of  insects,  and  some  of  them  whole  ones. 


TOWHE  BUNTING.  — EMBERIZA  ERYTHROPTHALMA. — 

Fio.  42. 

Fringilla  crythropthalma,  Lirm.  Syst.  p.  318,  6.  — LePinson  de  la  Caroline,  Briss. 
Orn.  iii.  p.  169,  44.  — Buff.  Ois.  iv.  p.  Hl.  —  Latk.  ii.  p.  199,No.  43.—  Catai. 
Ctr,  I.  plate  31.  --  PeaU^s  Museum,  No.  6970. 

PIPILO  ERYTHROPTHJ'UilA.  —  VitiiAMr. 

Pipilo  crythropthalma,  VieiU.  Gal.  des  Ois.  plate  80.  —  Fringilla  crythropthalma, 
Bonap.  Stftiop.  p.  112.  —  The  Towhe  Bunting,  And.  plate  ®,  male  and  female : 
Orn.  Biog.  i.  p.  160.  s'  i-  ,  , 

This  is  a  very  common,  but  humble  and  inoffensive  species,  fre- 
quenting close-sheltered  thickets,  where  it  spends  most  of  its  time  in 
scratching  up  the  leaves  for  worms,  and  for  the  larvoe  and  eggs  of 
insects.  It  is  Tar  from  being  shy,  frequently  suffering  a  person  to 
walk  round  the  bush  or  thicket,  where  it  is  at  work,  witnout  betraying 
any  marks  of  alarm,  and  when  disturbed,  uttering  tho  notes  tow-1^, 
repeatedly.  At  times  the  male  mounts  to  the  top  of  a  small  tree,  and 
chants  his  few,  simple  notes  for  an  hour  at  a  time.  These  are  loud, 
not  unmusical,  something  resembling  those  of  the  Yellow  Hammer 
of  Britain,  but  more  mellow  and  more  varied.  He  is  fond  of  thickets 
with  a  southern  exposure,  near  streams  of  water,  and  where  there  is 
plenty  of  dry  leaves ;  and  is  found,  generally,  over  the  whole  United 
States.  He  is  not  gregarious,  and  you  seldom  see  more  than  two 
together.  About  the  middle  or  20th  of  April,  they  arrive  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  begin  building  about  the  first  week  in  May.  The  nest 
is  fixed  on  the  ground  among  the  dry  leaves,  near,  and  sometimes 
under,  a  thicket  of  briers,  and  is  large  and  substantial.  The  outside 
is  formed  of  leaves  and  dry  pieces  of  grape-vine  bark,  and  the  inside, 
of  fine  stalks  of  dried  grass,  the  cavity  completely  sunk  beneath  the 
surface  of  the  OTound,  and  sometimes  half  covered  above  with  dry 
grass  or  hay.  The  eggs  are  usually  five,  of  a  pale  flesh  color, 
thickly  marked  with  specks  of  rufous,  most  numerous  near  the  great 
end.  The  young  are  produced  about  the  beginning  of  June, 
and  a  second  brood  commonly  succeeds  in  the  same  season.  This 
bird  rarely  winters  north  of  the  state  of  Maryland,  retiring  from 
Pennsylvania  to  the  south  about  the  12th  of  October.  Yet  in  the 
middle  districts  of  Virginia,  and  thence  south  to  Florida,  I  found  it 
abundant  during  the  months  of  January,  February,  and  March.  Its 
usual  food  is  obtained  by  scratching  up  the  leaves ;  it  also  feeds,  like 
the  rest  of  its  tribe,  on  various  hiard  seeds  and  gravel,  but  rarely 
commits  any  depredations  on  the  harvest  of  the  husbandman,  erener- 
11 


TOWIfK  HUNTING, 
fillv  Droferrine  the  woods,  and  traversing  tho  bottom  of  fences  shel- 

th."  Bullfinch -in  many  nl-iccH,  the  Towho  Bird ;  in  I'ennsylvama,  the 
&Sib;oU.orVthcS;a,np  Robin.    "« -"^"^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
the  harmony  ot^urwoodH  in  s-prmg  ani  Buminer    "^n/  ™;™ 
for  the  cunninc  with  wh d*  .w  conceals  his  nost.    He  showH  greai 
lffec?ionrhrB'young,and  the  deepest  marks  of  distress  on  the  ap- 

P^^rLfcit'^LTlhTcni^n;^^^^^^^^^^^  on  this  bird,  is 

tlie  iris  white,  while  at  other  times  it  was  red ;  and  Mr.  l!.llioi,  oi 
Beaufort,  a  ndicious  naUiralist,  inforiTied  me,  tliat  '"  the  X""'  f 
Febman^  he  killed  a  Towho  Buntini?  ^vHh  one  eye  red  and  the  other 
whitT'lt  shou  d  be  observed  that  tiie  iris  of  the  young  bird's  eye  is 
of  a  chocolate  color  during  its  rcBidence  m  PenrjyWama  gr  m^ 
thiR  mnv  briffhten  into  a  wh  te  during  winter,  and  these  may  nave 
^eenTbS  o?  tlio  preceding  year,  which  had  not  yet  received  the 

^"^tS CltSVunting  is  eight  inches  and  a  half  lon^,  and  eleven 
brold ;  Ibov"  black,  ^hich  afso  descend.,  -""^"fer  "the  S  •  t 
Bides  if  which  are  bright  bay,  spreading  along  imaer  tf"'  J>"f  ;^^ 
belly  is  white  ;  the  vent,  pale  rufous;  a  spot  ot  ^h']?^ ^''^^  "'^t"!'".! 
iust  below  tJie  coverts,  and  another  a  little  below  diat  extends 
obliqnevT across  the  primaries;  tho  t^iil  is  1°"?' "^^'^^ Vnrthe  tit 
endl  the  three  exterior  feathers,  white  for  an  inch  or  so  frj  th^  t  p,, 
fhP  miter  one  wholly  white,  the  middle  ones  black ;  tlie  bil  is  oiacK , 
Se  fetrardVelTdirtv  flesh  color,  and  f-g.  for  scratching  up  tlie 
irround  The  female  d  ffers  ir.  being  of  a  light  reddish  »rown  in 
Sose  parts  where  the  male  is  black,  and  in  having  the  bill  more  of  a 
light  horn  color.* 

.  Mr.  Swainson  makes  PipUo  a  sub-genus  among  the  Spar«.ws.    *«  jries 
have  been  described,  and  the  above-menl.oned  gentleman  has  't7t  fe  spedr   of 
in  addition.    They  are  confined  to  both  continents  9^  A^^nca  wid  the  spec 
our  author  was  considered  as  the  only  one  belonfting  to    he  ""[f  t,\"  .^"^^^',,.,.,^ 
Noriheru  Zoolog^j  will  give  '-^'^'^.P^^^^^^^^ 

''*S^::dSrs|:;-<  The  haunt,  of  the^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

of  ,his,and  ProvH.cKd  names^are^generallj^t^e^^^^^^^^  Ij^  ,  ^  ^^^^ 


ferent  habiu  may 


)s  be  S"uerit  ai  ainerem  scuauuo.     » -  — -- 

KVntucky  U,ey.are>„din  the  r|a.est  ab^-^-^  Jl^SfrrbS  f'lray 

ai  night,     'lluui  m>g"aUOns  src    pt:r:--rri:i^  •   •-;  — v;  " 


nA 


CARDINAL  GROSBEAK 


123 


CARDINAL   GROSBEAK. -LOXIA   CARDINALIS.- 

Fio*.  43,  44. 

i.im.  Sysl.  i.  p.  300,  No.  ft.  —  Le  Oro«-boc  de  Virjfinie,  BritM.  Om.  :ii.  p.  2ii6. 

No.  Vf.—  Jiuff.  iii.  p.  4fi!J,  pi.  28.   PL  erd.  37.  —  Lath.  Syn.  ii.  p.  118,  No.  13 

Cardinal,  Brown'i  Jam.  p.  f!'i7.  —  PeiUe'i  lUuseimi,  No.  66t>8. 

OUARICa  CJiRDWAUS.  —  SiyiAiition. 
Fringilla  cardinalis,  Bonap.  St/nop.  p.  1 13. 

This  is  one  of  our  most  common  cage  birds ;  and  is  very  generally 
known,  not  only  in  North  America,  but  oven  in  Europe,  numbers  of 
them  having  been  carried  over  both  to  France  and  England,  in  which 
last  country  they  are  usuallycalled  Virginia  Nightingales.  To  this 
name,  Dr.  Latham  observes,  "they  are  fully  ontiticd,"'troin  the  clear- 
ness and  variety  of  their  notes,  whicii,  both  in  a  wild  and  domestic 
state,  are  very  varioua  and  musical :  many  of  them  resemble  tlie  high 
notes  of  a  fife,  and  are  nearly  as  loud.  They  are  in  song  fioin  March 
to  Septem'jer,  beginning  at  the  first  appearance  of  dawn,  and  repeat- 
ing a  favorite  stanza,  or  passage,  twenty  or  thirty  times  successively ; 
sometniies,  witli  little  intermission,  for  a  whole  morning  together, 
which,  like  a  good  story  too  often  repeated,  becomes  at  length  tire- 
Home  and  insipid.  But  the  sprightly  figure  and  gaudy  plumage  of 
the  Red-Bird,  his  vivacity,  strength  of  voice,  and  actual  variety  of 
note,  and  the  little  expense  witli  which  he  is  kept,  will  always  make 
him  a  favorite. 

This  species,  like  the  Mocking  Bird,  is  more  numerous  to  the  east 
of  tJie  great  range  of  tlie  Allc  lany  Mountains,  and  in.iabits  from  New 
England  to  Carthagena,  Michaux  the  younger,  son  to  >ho  celebrated 
botanist,  informed  me,  that  he  found  this  bird  nu"-  uus  i  ,  the  Bermu- 
das. In  Pennsylvania  and  tlie  Northern  Stat'  is  mther  a  scarce 
Bpecies ;  but  through  the  whole  lower  partn  of  tin;  Southern  States,  in 
Ihe  neighborhood  of  HOttlements,  J  found  them  imich  more  numerous ; 
their  clear  and  lively  notes,  in  the  months  of  January  and  Februnr', 
being,  at  that  time,  almost  the  only  music  of  the  season.  Along  tlie 
road  sides  and  fences  I  found  them  hovering  in  half  dozens  together, 
ossociated  with  Snow  Birds,  and  vanms  kinds  of  Sparrows.  In  the 
Northern  States,  they  are  migratory;  but  in  the  lower  parts  of 
Pennsylvania,  they  reside  during  the  whole  year,  frequenting  tlie  bor- 
ders of  creeks  and  rivulets,  in  ,-iheltered  hollows,  covered  witli  lioUy, 
laurel,  and  other  evergreens.  Tliey  love  also  to  reside  in  tlie  vicinity 
of  fields  of  Indian  corn,  a  grain  that  constitutes  their  chief  and  favor- 
ite food.  The  seeds  of  apples,  cherries,  and  of  many  other  sorts  of 
fruit,  are  also  eaten  by  them ;  and  they  are  accused  of  destroying  beet:. 

seem  to  be  much  at  a  loss  when  a  lar^e  extent  of  forest  is  to  be  traversed  by  thea. 
1  hey  perform  these  journeys  almost  singly.  The  females  set  out  before  tho  males 
m  autumn,  the  males  befoie  the  females  in  spring ;  the  latter  not  appflaring  in  the 
midd.^disU'icts  until  the  end  of  April,  a  forUiight  aAer  the  males  had  arrivtd." 


0      ' 


1  W 


Ik 


I 

i- 


184 


CARDINAL  GROSBEAK. 


In  the  months  of  March  and  April,  the  males  have  many  violent 
engagements  for  their  favorite  females.  Early  in  May,  in  Pennsylva- 
nia, toey  begin  to  prepare  their  nest,  which  is  very  often  fixed  in  a 
holly,  cedar,  or  laurel  bush.  Outwardly,  it  is  constructed  of  small 
twigs,  tops  of  dry  weeds,  and  slips  of  vine  bark,  and  lined  with  stalkfl 
of  fine  grass.  The  female  lays  four  eggB,  thickly  marked  all  over  with 
touches  ofbrownish  olive,  on  a  dull  white  ground,  as  represented  in 
tlie  figure ;  and  they  usually  raise  two  broods  in  the  seaaon.  These 
birds  are  rarely  raised  from  tlie  nest  for  singing,  being  so  easily  taken 
in  trap- cages,  and  soon  domesticated.  By  long  confinement,  and  per- 
haps unnatural  food,  the/  are  found  to  fade  in  color,  becoming  of  a 
pale  whitish  red.  If  well  taken  care  of,  however,  they  will  live  to  a 
considerable  age.  There  is  at  present  in  Mr.  Peale's  museum,  the 
stuffed  skin  of  one  of  tliese  birds,  which  is  there  said  to  have  lived  in 
a  cage  upwards  of  twenty-one  years. 

The  opinion  whicii  so  generally  prevails  in  England,  that  the  music 
of  the  groves  and  woods  of  America  ia  far  inferior  to  that  of  Europe, 
I,  who  have  a  thousand  times  listened  to  both,  cannot  admit  to  be  cor- 
rect We  cannot  with  fairness  draw  a  comparison  between  the  depth 
of  the  forest  in  America,  and  the  cultivated  fields  of  England ;  because 
it  is  a  well-known  fact,  that  singing  birds  seldom  frequent  the  former 
in  any  country.  But  let  the  latter  places  be  compared  witli  the  like 
situations  in  the  United  States,  and  tlie  superiority  of  song,  1  am  fully 
persuaded,  would  justly  belong  to  tlie  western  continent  The  few  of 
our  song  birds  that  have  visited  Europe  extort  admiration  from  the 
best  judges.  "  The  notes  of  the  Cardinal  Grosbeak,"  says  Latham, 
"are  almost  equal  to  those  of  the  Nightingale."  Yet  these  notes, 
clear  and  excellent  as  they  are,  are  far  inferior  to  those  of  the  Wood 
Thrash,  and  even  to  those  of  the  Brown  Thrush,  or  Thrasher.  Our 
inimitable  Mocking  Bird  is  also  acknowledged,  by  tliemselves,  to  be 
fully  equal  to  the  song  of  the  Nightingale,  « in  its  whole  compass. 
Yet  these  are  not  one  tenth  of  the  number  of  our  singing  burds. 
Could  tliese  people  be  transported  to  tlie  borders  of  our  woods  and  set- 
tlements, in  the  montli  of  May,  about  half  an  hour  before  sunrise,  such 
a  ravishing  concert  would  greet  their  ear  as  they  have  no  concep- 
tion of.  „     ,  .      • 

The  males  of  the  Cardinal  Grosbeak,  when  confined^  together  m  a 
cage,  fight  violently.  On  placing  a  looking-glass  before  the  cage, 
the  gesticulations  of  the  tenant  are  truly  laughable ;  yet  with  this  he 
soon  becomes  so  well  acqiiainted,  that,  in  a  short  time,  he  takes  no 
notice  whatever  of  it;  a  pretty  good  proof  that  he  has  discovered  the 
true  cause  of  the  appearance  to  proceed  from  himself.  They  are 
hardy  birds,  easily  kept,  sing  six  or  eight  months  in  the  year,  and  are 
most  lively  in  wet  weather.  They  are  generally  known  by  the  names, 
Red-Bird,  Virginia  Red-Bird,  Virginia  Nightingale,  and  Crested  Red- 
Bird,  to  distinguish  them  from  another  beautiful  species,  the  Scarlet 
Tanager,  Figs.  45  and  46. 

I  do  not  know  that  any  successful  attempts  have  been  made  to  in- 
duce these  birds  to  pair  and  breed  in  confinement ;  but  I  have  no 
doubt  of  its  practicability,  by  proper  management  Some  months 
airo.  I  Dlaced  a  vounff.  unfledffed  Cow-Bird,  (the  Frir^la  pecoris  of 
Tiirtoii,)  whode' mother,  like^the  Cuckoo  of  Europe,  abandons  iief 


SCARLET  TANAGER 


135 


egres  and  progeny  to  the  mercy  and  management  of  other  smaller 
birds,  m  the  same  cage  with  a  Red-Bird,  which  fed  and  reared  it  with 
great  tenderness.  They  both  continue  to  inhabit  the  same  cage,  and 
I  have  hopes  that  the  Red-Bird  will  finish  his  pupil's  education  by 
teaching  him  his  song. 

I  must  here  remarl^  for  the  information  of  foreigners,  that  the  story 
told  by  Le  Page  du  Pratz,  in  his  History  o/Loumana,  and  which  has 
been  so  often  repeated  by  other  writers,  that  the  Cardinal  Grosbeak 
"  collects  together  great  hoards  of  maize  and  buck- wheat,  often  as 
much  as  a  bushel,  which  it  artfully  covers  with  leaves  and  small  twigs, 
leaving  only  a  small  hole  for  entrance  into  the  magazine,"  is  entirely 
fabulous.  •' 

This  species  is  eight  inches  long,  and  eleven  in  extent ;  tlie  whole 
upper  parts  are  a  dull,  dusky  red,  except  the  sides  of  the  neck  and 
head,  which,  as  well  as  the  whole  lower  parts,  are  bright  vermilion ; 
chin,  front,  and  lores,  black ;  the  head  is  ornamented  with  a  high, 
pointed  crest,  which  it  frequently  erectd  in  an  almost  perpendicular 
position,  and  can  also  flntten  at  pleasure,  so  as  to  be  scarcely  percep- 
tible ;  the  tail  extends  three  inches  beyond  the  wings,  and  is  nearly 
even  at  the  end ;  the  bill  is  of  a  brilliant  coralline  color,  very  thick 
and  powerful,  for  breaking  hard  grain  and  seeds ;  the  legs  and  feet,  a 
light  clay  color,  (not  blood  red,  as  BiifTon  describes  them ;)  iris  of  the 
eye,  dark  hazel.  The  female  (Fig.  44)  is  less  than  the  male,  has  the 
upper  parts  of  a  brownish  olive,  or  drab  color,  the  tail,  wings,  and  tip 
of  the  crest  excepted,  which  arc  nearly  as  red  as  those  of  the  male; 
the  lores,  front,  and  chin,  are  liglit  ash ;  breast,  and  lower  pans,  a 
reddish  drab  ;  bill,  legs,  and  eyes,  as  those  of  the  male ;  the  crest  is 
snorter,  and  less  frequently  raised. 

One  peculiarity  in  the  female  of  this  species  is,  that  she  often  sings 
nearly  as  well  as  the  male.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  be  owing  to 
some  little  jealousy  on  this  score  or  not,  that  the  male,  when  both 
occupy  the  same  cage,  very  often  destroys  the  female. 


SCARLET  TANAGER. -TANACIIA  RUBRA. -Figs.  45,  46. 

Tanagra  rubra,  Lynn.  Syst.  i.  p.  314,  3.— Cardinal  de  Canada,  Briss.  Om.  iii.  p. 
48,pl  2,fig-.6.  — Z,a</i.  ii.  p.  217,  No.3.  — Scarlet  Sparrow.  Edw.  pi.  343.— 
Canada  "I  anager,  and  Olive  Taiiager,  Arct.  Zool.  p.  369,  No.  237  238  — 
Pecde's  Museum,  No.  6128.  r         ; 

PYtmJfOA*   flC/flA/*.  — SwAiNsoN. 

PyrangR  eryihropis,  Vieill.  Enc.  Method,  p.  793.  — Tanagra  rubra,  Bonap.  Synop. 
p.  105.  — Pyranga  rubra,  iVor«/(.  Zoo/,  ii.  p.  273. 

This  is  one  of  the  gjiudy  foreigners  (and  perhaps  the  most  showy) 
that  regularly  visit  us  .rom  the  torrid  regions  of  the  south.    He  is 

*  Pyranffa  lias  been  establislied  for  the  reception  of  tliis  bird  as  the  type,  and  a 
rew  uthcrs,  all  iiativcs  of  the  New  World,  and  more  particularly  inhabiting  th* 
11 


!l 


j:ii 


126 


SCARLET  TANAGER. 


dressed  in  the  richest  scarlet,  set  off  with  the  most  jetty  oldck,  and 
comes,  over  extensive  countries,  to  sojourn  for  a  time  amciig  l's. 
While  we  consider  him  entitled  to  all  the  rights  of  hospitality,  v/e 
may  be  permitted  to  examine  a  little  into  his  character,  and  endewor 
to  discover  whether  he  has  any  thing  else  to  recommend  him,  besides 
that  of  having  a  fine  coat,  and  being  a  great  traveller. 

On  or  about  the  first  of  May,  this  bird  makes  his  appearance  in 
Pennsylvania.    He  spreads  over  the  United  States,  and  is  found  even 
in  Canada.     He  rarely  approaches  the  habitations  of  man,  unless, 
perhaps,  to  the  orchard,  where  he  sometimes  builds,  or  to  the  cherry- 
trees,  in  search  of  fruit.    The  depUi  of  the  woods   is  his   favorite 
abode.    There,  among  the  tliick  foliage  of  tJie  tallest  trees,  his  simple 
and  almost  monotonous  notes,  chip,  cAwrr,  repeated  at  short  intervals,  in 
a  pensive  tone,  may  be  occasionally  heard,  which  appear  to  proceed 
from  a  considerable  distance,  tliough  tlie  bird  be  immediately  above 
you  —a  faculty  bestowed  on  him  by  the  beneficent  Author  of  JNature, 
no  doubt,  for  his  protection,  to  compensate,  in  a  degree,  for  the  danger 
to  which  his  glowing  color  would  often  expose  him.    Besides  this 
usual  note,  he  has,  at  times,  a  more  musical  chant,  something  resem- 
bling in  mellowness  that  of  the  Baltimore  Oriole.    His  food  consists 
of  large-winged  insects,  such  as  wasps,  hornets,  and  humble-bees,  and 
also  of  fruit,  particularly  those  of  that  species  of  Vaccinium  usually 
called  huckle-berries,  which,  in  their  season,  form  almost  his  whole 
fare.    His  nest  is  built,  about  the  middle  of  May,  on  the  horizontal 
branch  of  a  tree,  sometimes  an  apple-tree,  and  ^s  but  slightly  put  to- 
gether; stalks  of  broken  flax  and  dry  grass,  so  tlimly  woven  together, 
that  the  light  is  easily  perceivable  through  it,  form  the  repository  of 
his  young.    The  eggs  are  three,  of  a  dull  blue,  spotted  with  brown  or 
purple.    They  rarely  raise  more  than  one  brood  in  a  season,  and  leave 
us  for  the  south  about  the  Inst  week  in  August, 

Among  all  the  birds  tliat  inhabit  our  woods,  there  is  none  that 
strikes  the  eye  of  a  stranger,  or  even  a  native,  with  so  much  brilliancy 
as  this.  Seen  among  the  gi-een  leaves,  witli  the  light  falling  strongly 
en  his  plumage,  he  really  appears  beautiful.  If  he  has  little  ot  melody 
in  his  notes  to  chann  us,  he  has  nothing  in  them  to  disgust  His 
manners  are  modest,  easy,  and  inoflcnsive.  He  commits  no  depreda- 
tions on  the  property  of  the  husbandman,  but  rather  benefits  ]"m  by 
the  daily  destruction,  in  spring,  of  many  noxious  insects ;  and,  when 
winter  approaches,  he  is  no  plundering  dependent,  but  seeks,  m  a  dis- 
tant country,  for  that  sustenance  which  the  severity  of  the  season 
denies  to  his  industry  in  tliis.  He  is  a  striking  ornament  to  our  rural 
scenery,  and  none  of  the  meanest  of  our  rural  songsters.  Such  being 
the  true  traits  of  his  character,  we  shall  always  with  pleasure  welcome 
this  beautiful,  inoffensive  stranger  to  our  orchards,  groves,  and  forests. 

warmer  parts  of  it.  The  present  species  is,  Indeed,  the  only  one  which  is  common 
to  ihc  north  and  south  conlincnts  ;  and,  in  the  formtr,  it  ranl<s  only  as  a  summer 
visitant.  They  arc  all  of  very  l.right  colors,  and  distinct  markinffs.  1  hc^  are 
distinguished  from  the  true  Taimgers,  bv  their  stout  and  rounded  bill,  slightly 
notched,  bent  at  the  tip,  and  having  a  juUiug-out,  blunt  tooth  about  the  middle  of  the 
upper  mandible.  They  are  placed  by  Desinarest  among  his  Tana^as  cot^nens. 
or  Shrike-like  Tanagers  ;  and  by  Lesson  among  the^  Tann^rascardiTiales.  The  lat 
ter  writer  enumerates  otuy  ihrtx  species  belonging  So  bis  !-!V!S!on.  ^^  -^B. 


SCARLET  TANAGER. 


127 


The  male  of  this  species,  (Fig.  45,)  when  arrived  at  his  full  size  and 
colors,  IS  SIX  inches  and  a  half  in  length,  and  ten  and  a  half  broad. 
Ihe  whole  plumage  is  of  a  most  brilliant  scarlet,  except  the  winas 
and  tail,  which  are  of  a  deep  black;  the  latter,  handsomely  forked, 
sometimes  minutely  tipped  with  white,  and  the  interior  edges  of  the 
wing-feathers  nearly  white;  the  bill  is  strong,  considerably  inflated, 
like  tliose  of  his  tribe,  the  edge  of  the  upper  mandible,  somewhat 
irregular,  as  if  toothed,  and  the  whole  of  a  dirty  gamboge,  or  yellow- 
ish horn  color;  this,  however,  like  that  of  most  other  birds,  varies 
according  to  the  season.    About  the  1st  of  August  he  begins  to  moult ; 
the  yoUng  featliers  coming  out,  of  a  greenish  yellow  color,  until  he 
appears  nearly  all  dappled  with  spots  of  scarlet  and  greenish  yellow. 
In  this  state  of  plumage  he  leaves  us.    How  long  it  is  before  he  re- 
covers his  scarlet  dress,  or  whether  he  continues  of  this  ffreenish  color 
all  winter,  I  am  unable  to  say.    Tlie  iris  of  tlie  eye  is  of  a  cream 
color;  the  legs  and  feet,  liglit  blue.    The  female.  Fig.  46,  (now,  I  be- 
lieve, for  the  hrst  time  figured,)  is  green  above,  and  yellow  below ;  the 
wings  and  tail,  brownish  blaCk,  edged  with  green.    The  youm^  birds 
during  their  residence  here  tlie  first  season,  continue  nearly"  of  the 
same  color  with  the  female.    In  this  circumstance  we  aeain  recognize 
the  wise  provision  of  the  Deity,  in  thus  clothing  tlie  female  and  the 
inexperienced  young  in  a  garb  so  favorable  for  concealment  amon? 
the  foliage;  as  the  weakness  of  the  one,  and  the  frequent  visits  of 
the  other  to  her  nest,  would  greatly  endanger  the  safety  of  all.     That 
the  young  males  do  not  receiv-  fheir  red  plumage  until  the  early  part 
of  the  succeedmg  spring,  T  ^  ;.k  highly  probable,  from  tlie  circum- 
stance of  frequently  findi  o  ,;,-.;.  red  feathers,  at  that  season,  inter- 
mixed with  green  ones,  anJ  vne  wings  also  broadly  edged  with  £rreen 
These  facts  render  it  also  probable  tliat  the  old  males  regularly  chanjre 
their  color,  and  have  a  summer  and  winter  dress;  but  this  further  ob- 
servations must  determine. 

There  is  in  the  Brazils  a  bird  of  the  same  genus  with  this,  and  verv 
much  resembling  it,  so  much  so  as  to  have  been  frequently  confounded 
with  It  by  European  writers.  It  is  the  Tanagra  Brazilia  of  Turton ; 
and,  tliough  so  like,  is  yet  a  very  distinct  species  from  the  present,  as 
1  have  myselt  had  the  opportunity  of  ascertaining,  by  examining  two 
very  perfect  specunens  from  Brazil,  now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Peale 
and  comparing  them  with  this.  The  principal  differences  are  those  • 
Ihe  plumage  of  the  Brazilian  is  almost  black  at  bottom,  very  deep 
scarlet  at  the  surface,  and  of  an  orange  tint  between ;  ours  is  ash 
colored  at  bottom,  white  in  the  middle,  and  bright  scarlet  at  top.  The 
tai  of  ours  is  forked,  that  of  the  other  cuneiform,  or  rounded.  The 
bill  of  our  species  is  more  inflated,  and  of  a  greenish  yellow  color; 
tlie  other  s  is  black  above,  and  whitish  below,  towards  the  base.  The 
whole  plumage  of  the  southern  species  is  of  a  coarser,  stiffer  quality 
particularly  on  the  head.    The  wings  and  tail,  in  both,  are  black. 

In  the  account  which  Buffon  gives  of  the  Scarlet  Tanager  and 
Cardinal  Grosbeak,  there  appears  to  he  very  great  confusion,  and  many 
mistakes ;  to  explain  which,  it  is  necessary  to  observe  that  Mr.  Ed- 
wards, in  Ins  figure  of  the  Scarlet  Tanager,  or  Scarlet  Sparrow,  as  he 
calls  1^  has  given  it  a  hanging  crest,  owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  loose,  dis- 
ordered  state  of  the  plumage  of  the  stuffed  or  dried  skin  fmm  which 


138 


SCARLET  'i  .NAGER. 


r  ^ipTta?k  oVSe'Sle  Yr^  the  Scarlet 

travellers  talk  ot  tne  ^^^ij"*^  '  ,   .    ^  ^.  yg  of  tlie  Grosbeaks, 

•Ci.r.t:ft»To«/  S     oSe  .he  h..o„  of  U,,  Sc„.et 

Trs;,'^v«|2xkeSt=.r;i£;SeS 

a  distance,  as  if  feartul  ot  ''^ing  se(..i ,  j^^ 

birds,  that  had  butlatelylettinen    I  fiartram;  and,  having 

a  mile,  to  show  it  to  my.  *"^"°'/"-    ^f  lup  i„.„e  pine-trees  in  the 
procured  a  cage,  hung  it  up  on  «f . ?^  ^^^^^.^^^^^  Oriole, 

wtmmmm 


•  Burr  ON  vol.  iv.  p.  209. 


i  Gmelli  Cabers. 


RICE  BUNTING. 


129 


third  or  fourth  day,  he  appeared  extremely  solicitous  for  the  liberation 
of  his  charge,  using  every  expression  of  distressful  anxiety,  and  every 
call  and  invitation  that  nature  had  put  in  his  power,  for  him  to  come 
out.  Tills  was  too  much  for  the  feelings  of  my  venerable  friend  ;  he 
procured  a  ladder,  and,  mounting  to  the  spot  where  tlio  bird  was  sus- 
pended, opened  the  cage,  took  out  the  prisoner,  and  restored  him  to 
liberty  and  to  his  pprent,  who,  with  notes  of  great  exultation,  accom- 
panied  iiis  flight  to  the  woods.  The  happiness  of  my  good  friend  was 
scarcely  less  complete,  and  showed  itself  in  his  benevolent  countenance  ; 
and  I  could  not  refrain  saying  to  myself,  —  If  such  sweet  sensations 
can  be  derived  from  a  single  circumstance  of  this  kind,  how  exquisite 
—how  unspeakably  rapturous  — must  the  delight  of  those  individuals 
have  been,  who  have  rescued  their  fellow-beings  from  death,  chains, 
and  imprisonment,  and  restored  them  to  the  arms  of  their  friends  and 
relations !  Surely,  in  such  godlike  actions,  virtue  is  its  own  most  abun- 
dant reward. 


i  '  i 


RICE  BUNTING. -EMBERI2A  ORYZIVORA.— Figs.  47,  48. 

Embcriza  oryzivora,  Linn.  Sys«.  p.  311,  16.  — Le  Ortolan  da  la  Caroline,  Z^ms. 
Oni.  iii.  p.  282,  8,  pi.  15,  fig.  3.  PL  erd.  388.  fig-.  1.  — L'Agripenno  ou  I'ortolan 
(le  Kiz,  Buff.  Ois.  iv.  p.  337.  — Rice  Bird,  Catesb.  Car.  i.  pi.  14.  — £rfio.  pi.  2 
•-Latham,  ii.  p.  188,  No.  25.  — Peak's  Museum,  No.  6026. 

DOLYCHOJfYX  ORYZIFORUS.  —  SvrAimoit. 

Icterus  agripcnnis,  Bonap.  Smop.  p.  63.  —  Dolychonyx  oryzivonis,  Sw.  Synop. 
Birds  of  Mexico,  435.  —  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  278.  —  Aud.  pi.  54.  Om.  Bioo-.  i. 
p.  283.  <-  r  o 

This  is  the  -BoftZinft  of  the  Eastern  and  Northern  States,  and  the  Rice 
and  Reed  Bird  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  Southern  States.  Though  small 
in  size,  he  is  not  so  in  consequence ;  his  coming  is  hailed  by  the 
sportsman  with  pleasure  ;  while  the  careful  planter  looks  upon  him  as 
a  devouring  scourge,  and  worse  than  a  plague  of  locusts.  Three  good 
qualities,  however,  entitle  him  toour  notice,  particularly  as  these  three 
are  rarely  found  in  the  same  individual,  — his  plumage  is  beautiful,  his 
sontr  highly  musical,  and  his  flesh  excellent.  I  might  also  add,  that 
the  nnmense  range  of  his  migrations,  and  the  havock  he  commits,  are 
not  the  least  interesting  parts  of  his  history.* 

*  To  Wilson's  intereslinff  account  of  tlie  habits  of  this  curious  bird,  Mr.  Audubon 
adds  the  following  particulars :— In  Louisiana  they  pass  under  the  name  of 
Meadow  Birds,  and  they  arrive  there  in  small  flocks  of  males  and  females  aboil^ 
the  middle  of  March  or  beginning  of  April.  Their  song  in  spring  is  extremely  in 
teresting,  and,  emitted  with  a  voTabilily  bordering  on  the  burlesque,  is  heard  from 
a  whole  party  at  the  same  time,  .iiid  it  becomes  amusing  to  hear  thirty  oi-  forty  of 
them  beginning  one  aAer  another,  as  if  ordered  to  follow  in  quick  succession,  after 
the  first  notes  are  given  by  a  leader,  and  producing  such  a  medley  as  it  is  impos- 
lible  to  describe,  although  it  is  extremely  pleasant  to  hear.  While  you  are  listening, 
the  whole  flock  simultaneously  ceases,  which  appears  equally  extraordinary.  Thig 
curious  exhibition  takes  place  every  time  the  flock  has  fdighled  on  a  tree. 

Another  curious  fact  mcntionca  by  this  geatiemau  is,  iLul  Uuriug  their  spring 


J80 


RICE  BUNTING. 


The  winter  residence  of  this  species  1  suppose  to  be  from  Mexico 
to  ti  e  moutii  of  the  Amazon,  from  whence,  in  hocts  mnumerab  e,  tiiey 
eguTaS^;t«e  every  spring';  perhaps  to  both  ^l"^}^V^;,'^;^^^Z 
their  migrations  northerly  as  far  as  the  banks  of  the  Ilimois  and  the 
Bhororofie  St  Lawrence.    Couhl  the  fact  be  ascertamed,  which  has 
been  asserted  by  some  writers,  that  the  emigration  of  these  birds  was 
alTgeXr  unknUn  in  this  part  of  the  continent,  Previjus  to  tf^  in^rc^ 
duction  of  rice  plantations,  it  would  certainly  be  interefating.     Yet, 
whv  should  thesJ  raigratioAs  reach  at  least  a  thousand  miles  beyond 
SL  Ses  where  rS  is  now  planted;  and  this,  not  m  occasional 
eicurstb^t  regularly  to  breeS  and  rear  ^^-y^-f^J^^'^i::, 
never  was,  and  probably  never  wUl  be,  cultivated?    Their  so  recent 
aSval  o^  this  5art  of  the  continent,  I  believe  to  be  altogether  imagi- 
narbecause,  tSough  there  were  not  a  single  grain  of  rice  cultivated 
wSn  Te  United  ^States,  the  country  produces  an  exuberance  of 
food  of  which  they  are  no  less  fond.    Insects  of  various  kinds  gnibs 
Mav-flies,  and  caterpillars,  Uie  young  ears  of  Indian  corn,  and  the  seed 
He  vKats,  or,L  it  is  called  in  Pennsylyamo,  reeds,  (tlxe  Ztzama 
^Sc«  of  Linn,EUS,)  which  grows  in  Fo/g-us  " a^^^^^^^ 
marshy  shores  of  our  large  rivers,  furnish,  not  "^^  *'^^'?',°"\,'?'i"^^^^ 
of  Rail,  with  a  delicious  subsistence  for  several  weeks.    I  do  not  doub^ 
however,  Zt  the  introduction  of  rice,  but  more  particularly  the 
;?o^ess'of  agriculture,  in  tliis  P^rt  of  Arnerica,  has  g-eatly  increa^^^^^ 
thefr  numbers,  by  multiplying  their  sources  of  subsistence  fifty  told 
within  the  same  extent  of  country.  pi^o  n.mtinfr  mn.lt 

In  the  month  of  April,  or  very  early  in  May,  the  R^c^.  ^"'Jj"! '  ,"»5g' 
and  female,  in  the  dresses  in  which  they  ^ppear  m  Figs  47  and  48^ 
arrive  within  the  southern  boundaries  ot  the  United  States^  and  are 
seen  around  the  town  of  Savannali  in  Georgia,  about  tlie  4th  ot  May, 
omeSmes  in  separate  parties  of  males  and  females,  but  ^egenera^y 
oromiscuouslv.  They  remain  tliere  but  a  short  time ;  and,  about  the 
iS^of  May  make  their  appearance  in  the  lower  parts  of  Pennsyl- 
vanl  OS  theyS  at  SavanSah.  While  here,  the  males  are  extremely 
gay  an"  Tulf  of  song;  frequenting  meadows,  J-ly'/^^ghe'^^^^^^^^^^^ 
Sdes  of  creeks,  rivers,  and  watery  places,  feeding  «"  Mj-A*;;^  ""^^ 
caterpillars,  of  which  they  destroy  great  <l»/^nt^t  •  pJ?riamLrto  Uie 
however,  tlirough  Virginia,  at  this  season,  they  do  ^^^-^  damage  to  tJie 
early  wheat  and  barley,  while  in  its  milky  state.  About  the  20th  "f 
Mav  thev  disappear,  on  their  way  to  the  north.  Nearly  at  the^  same 
S  thev  aiive^n  tiie  state  of  New  York,  spread  over  the  whole  New 
SgiaSS,  aafar  asUieRivcrSt  Lawrence,f^^^3mL^^^^^^^^ 
the  sea;  in  all  of  which  places  north  «f  Pennsyh.ma,  they  remain 

during  the  Bummer,  building,  and  ^?7"g,  t'„'«  J  tEuts^de  is  corn- 
fixed  Tn  tlie  ground,  generally  in  a  field  of  g^^^^  -  the  o"J^jf^J^«'^ 
posed  of  dry  leaves  and  coarse  grass  the  inside  '«  »"«^  J^^  ,^"^ 
Btiilks  of  the  same,  laid  in  considerable  quantity.  The  female  lays 
five  effS  of  a  bluish  white,  marked  witli  numerous  irreguar  spote  ot 
blackfsh  brown  The  song  of  the  male,  while  the  female  is  sittmg  is 
Sgular,  anTJery  agreeable.    Mounting  and  hovering  on  wmg,  at  a 

migrations  caslwnr.l,  l!,ry  fly  mostly  at  niglu  ;  whereas,  iu  autur^n,  when  they  an, 
reiTir!!!!!"  sQUthwiircl,  ihcir  fligiu  is  diumal.  —  t.o. 


RICE  BUNTING. 


131 


email  height  above  the  field,  he  chants  out  such  a  jingling  medley 
of  short,  variable  notes,  uttered  with  such  seeming  confusion  and 
rapidity,  and  continued  for  a  considerable  time,  that  it  appears  as  if 
half  a  dozen  birds  of  different  kinds  were  all  singing  together.  Some 
Idea  may  be  formed  of  this  song  by  striking  the  high  keys  of  a  piano- 
torte  at  random,  singly  and  quickly,  making  as  many  sudden  contrasts 
ot  high  and  low  notes  as  possible.  Many  of  the  tones  are,  in  them- 
selves, charming ;  but  they  succeed  each  other  so  rapidly,  that  tlie  ear 
can  hardly  separate  them.  Nevertheless,  the  general  effect  is  good; 
and,  when  ten  or  twelve  are  all  singing  on  the  same  tree,  the  concert 
18  singularly  pleasing.  I  kept  one  of  these  bkds  for  a  long  time,  to 
observe  its  change  of  color.  During  the  whole  of  April,  May,  and 
June,  It  sang  almost  continually.  In  the  month  of  June,  the  color  of 
the  male  begins  to  change-,  ^dually  assimilating  to  that  of  the  female, 
and  before  the  beginnin;/  oi  August  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  tlie 
one  trom  the  otlier,  botli  helag  then  in  the  dress  of  Fig.  48.  At  this 
time,  also,  the  young  birds  are  so  much  like  the  female,  or  rather  like 
both  parents,  and  the  males  so  different  in  appearance  from  what  they 
were  m  spring,  that  thousands  of  people  in  Pennsylvania,  to  this  day, 
persist  m  believing  them  to  be  a  different  species  altogether:  whUe 
others  ^llow  them,  indeed,  to  be  the  same,  bilt  confidently  assert  that 
mey  are  all  temales— none  but  females,  according  to  them,  returning 
in  ufie  tall ;  what  becomes  of  the  males  they  are  totally  at  a  loss  to 
conceive.  Even  Mr.  Mark  Catesby,  who  resided  for  yeare  in  tlie  coun- 
try they  mliabit,  and  who,  as  he  himself  informs  us,  examined  by  dis- 
secUon  great  numbers  of  them  in  the  fall,  and  repeated  his  experi- 
ment the  succeeding  year,  lest  he  should  have  been  mistaken,  declares 
that  he  umrorraly  found  them  to  be  females.  These  assertions  must 
appear  odd  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  Eastern  States,  to  whom  the 
change  of  plumage  in  these  birds  is  familiar,  is  it  passes  immediately 
under  tlieir  eye ;  and  also  to  those  who,  like  mvself,  have  kept  them 
in  cages,  and  witnessed  their  gradual  change  of  color.*  That  accu- 
rate observer,  Mr.  William  Bartram,  appears,  from  the  following 
extract,  to  have  taken  notice  of,  or  at  least  suspected,  this  change  of 
color  in  these  birds,  more  than  forty  years  ago.  "Being  in  Charles- 
ton, says  he,  «in  the  month  of  June,  I  observed  a  cage  full  of  Rice 
Birds,  that  is,  of  the  yellow,  or  female  color,  who  were  very  merry 
and  vociferous,  having  the  same  variable  music  witli  tlie  pied,  or  male 
bird,  winch  I  thought  extraordinary,  and,  observing  it  to  the  gentle- 
man,  he  assured  me  that  they  were  all  of  the  male  kind,  taken  the  pre- 
ceding spring,  but  had  changed  their  color,  and  would  be  next  spring 
ot  the  color  of  the  pied,  thus  chanpng  color  with  the  seasons  of  thi 
year.  It  this  is  really  the  case,  it  appears  they  are  both  of  the  same 
species  intermixed,  spring  and  fall."  Without,  however,  implicatina 
the  veracity  of  Catesby,  who,  I  have  no  doubt,  believed  as  he  wrote, 
a  tew  words  will  easily  explain  why  he  was  deceived:  The  internal 

hrlJ''*'  beautiful  plumage  of  the  male  represented  on  the  plate,  is  that  .Jurinff  the 

In  .hU^  T'°"'  ""."•! '■■'  ''"'  "^  '"""  "'  ^«  ''"l'"«  incumLont  thereon  are  completed. 
In  this  we  have  a  stnkniff  analogy  with  some  nearly  allied  African  Fnmnllida: 
«„H  in,^*"'r'  ^^^''"^^has  been  made  by  Mr.  Swainson  to  contain  iTiis  curioM 
wid  interesting  form  ;  by  that  gentleman  it  is  placed  in  the  aberrant  families  of  the 


189 


RICE  BUNTING. 


organization  of  undomeBticated  birds,  of  '^"  ^^-^f:  ""^X'^i'h  to 
mnrknhlfi  rhanffG  everv  8pr  ne  and  summer;  and  those  wno  wien  ro 
S"eS  S  p^olnt  bTdiLction  will  do  well  to  remember,  that  m  tbia 
MrdTL  parSTat  'characterize  the  male  are,  in  autumn  no  hrger 
than  the  smallest  pin's  head,  and  in  young  birds  «fthefi«t  year  can 
scarcely  be  discovered;  though  m  spring  their  in«g^"f^;"  X'^u  ^ 
at  least  one  hundred  times  greater.    To  an  unacquaintance  with  this 


tion  showed  me  the  source  of  my  mistake.  Hince  uiai,  i  imvt,  »»^..-« 
and  eSned  many  hundreds  of  these  birds,  in  the  months  of'  Sep- 
temberTnd  October,  and,  on  the  whole,  have  found  about  as  many 
mi"a:?emale?among  them.  The  latter  -^^^^  ^i^inguis^^^^^^^^^^^ 
the  former  by  being  of  a  rather  more  shinmg  yellow  on  the  breast  ana 
bSlvT  t  is  tL  same  with  the  young  birds  o?  the  first  season. 

DurinV the  breeding  season,  they  are  dispersed  over  tiie  county, 
bu?rs?on  as  the  you'ng  are  able  to  fly,  they  -He^t  tog^*-,^'^^^ 
multitudes  and  pour  down  on  the  oat-helds  of  New  Lngland  UKe  a 
SJrS  deSng  the  proprietors  of  a  good  tithe  of  their  harvest;  but 
Kturn,  often  supply  his  table  with  a  very  delicious  dish.    From  all 
naSoflhe  north  aid  western  regions,  they  direct  their  course  towards 
Eouti^l  andVaboutthe  middll  of  Augus^evisit  Pennsylvania  on 
Seirroute  to  winter  quarters.    For  several  days,  tiiey  seem  to  confine 
Ihemselves  to  the  fields  and  uplands;  but,  as  soon  as  the  seeds  of  the 
Sare  rfp^  they  resort  to  the  shores  of  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill 
in  multitude^;  and  these  places,  during  the  ^emamder  of  tiie^  stg^^ 
appear  to  be  their  grand  rendezvous.    The  reeds,  or  wild  oats,  turnisn 
E  ^iSi  such  abSance  of  nutritious  food,  thaty«hort  toe  they 
become  extremely  fat,  and  are  supposed,  by  some  of  f"^ .  ^P™' *^ 
be  eaual  to  the  famous  Ortolans  of  Europe.    Their  note  at  this  season 
[s  aTngle  cS«Mnd  is  heard  overhead,  with  little  intermission,  from 
mom  nfto  night.    These  are  halcyon  days  for  our  gunners  of  a  1 
descriptions,  and  many  a  lame  and  rusty  gun-barrel  is  put'n  requisi- 
tion fi>r  the  sport    The  report  of  musketry  along  the  reedy  shores  ot 
SschuylkXand  Delaware  is  almost  incessant,  resembling  a  runmng 
fire     The  markets  of  Philadelphia,  at  this  season,  exhibit  proofs  of 
ule'prodigious  havock  made  among  these  birds  ;  for  almost  every  sta  1 
is  ornamented  with  strings  of  Reed  Birds.    This  spor^,  however,  is 
IZZtfMenTio  that^f  Rail  footing  which  is  carried  on  a^  the 
same  season  and  places,  with  equal  slaughter,    p.^  *ts,  as  well  as  ot 
the  Rail  itself,  we  shall  give  a  particular  accomit  ^"f^FoPpJn'^  States 
Whatever  apology  the  people  of  the  Eastern  and  feouthem  btates 
niaTtSrrdfv'astatirnSiey  spread  among  ^^^^^ J^  ^^/^ 
Birds,  the  Pennsylvanians  -  at  least  those  living  ^^this  Part  of  it  -  have 
little  to  plead  in  justification  but  the  pleasure  of  destruction,  or  the 
savorf  dish  they  furnish  Uieir  tables  witli ;  for  the  oat  harvest  is  gen- 
emllV  secured  feefore  the  gieat  body  of  these  birds  ^^ve,  the  Indian 
cwn  too  ripe  and  hard,  and  the  reeds  seem  to  engross  all  the  r  atten- 
tTon.    But'in  the  states  south  of  Maryland,  the  harvest  of  early  wheat 
and  barley  in  spring,  and  the  numerous  plantations  of  "ce  in  fa  1, 

aim    uu.ii.y    1        ^„   51- :_  r»_*_U^.   fx,  o..  aAnn   na  the    nicrhtfl  begin  to 

8uii^i  severely.     i:<ariy  m  wi-wuci,  o.  «» —  -  =,  » 


I 


REDuEYED  FLYCATCHER. 


133 


«et  in  cold,  they  disappear  from  Pennsylvania,  directing  their  course 
to  the  south.  At  this  time  tliey  swann  among  the  nee  fields ;  and 
appear  in  the  island  of  Cuba  in  immense  numbers,  in  search  of  the 
^mmo  delicious  grain.  About  the  middle  of  October,  they  visit  the 
island  of  Jamaica  in  equal  numbers,  where  they  are  called  Butter 
Birds.  They  feed  on  the  seed  of  the  Guinea  grass,  and  are  also  in 
higli  esteem  tliero  for  tlie  table.* 

Thus  it  appears  that  the  regions  north  of  the  fortieth  degree  of 
latitude,  are  tlie  breeding  places  of  these  birds ;  that  their  migrations 
nortlierly  are  performed  from  March  to  May,  and  tlieir  return  southerly 
from  August  to  November;  tlieir  precise  winter  quarters,  or  farthest 
retreat  southerly,  are  not  exactly  known. 

The  Rice  Bunting  is  seven  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  eleven  and 
a  half  in  extent  His  spring  dress  is  as  follows :  —  Upper  part  of  the 
head,  wings,  tail,  and  sides  of  the  neck,  and  whole  lower  parts,  black ; 
the  featliers  frequently  skirted  with  brownish  yellow,  as  he  passes  into 
the  colors  of  the  female;  back  of  the  head,  a  cream  color ;  back,  black, 
seamed  witli  brownish  yellow ;  scapulars,  pure  white ;  rump  and  tail- 
coverts  the  same ;  lower  part  of  the  back,  bluish  white ;  tail,  formed 
like  those  of  the  Woodpecker  genus,  and  often  used  in  the  same  man- 
ner, being  thrown  in  to  support  it  while  ascending  the  stalks  of  the 
reed ;  this  habit  of  throwing  in  the  tail  it  retains  even  in  the  cage ; 
legs,  a  brownish  flesh  color;  hind  heel,  very  long;  bill,  a  bluish  horn 
color;  eye,  hazel ;  see  Fig.  47.    In  the  month  of  June  this  plumage 

fradually  changes  to  a  brownish  yellow,  like  that  of  the  female,  (Fig. 
8,)  wjiich  has  the  back  streaked  with  brownish  black ;  whole  lower 
parts,  dull  yellow ;  bill,  reddish  flesh  color ;  legs  and  eyes  as  in  the 
male.  The  young  birds  retain  the  dress  of  the  female  until  the  early 
part  of  the  succeeding  spring;  the  plumage  of  the  female  undergoes 
no  material  change  of  color. 


RED-EYED  FLYCATCHER.  -  MUSCICAPA  OLVIACEA.- 

Fio  49. 

Linn.  Sust.  i.  p.  327, 14.  —  Gobe  mouche  de  la  Caroline  et  de  la  Jamaique,  Buff. 
IV.  p.  639.  Edw.  t.  263.  —  Cateib.  t.  64.  —  Lath.  Syn.  iii.  p,  351,  No.  62.  —  itfusci- 
capa  sylvicola,  Bartram,  p.  290.— Peale's  Museum,  No.  6675. 

riREO  OZ/rv9C£{7S.— BoHAPAHTE. 

Vireo  olivaceus,  Bonap.  Syntm.  p.  71.  — Vireo  olivaceus,  Red-eyed  Grcenlet, 

North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  233. 

This  is  a  numerous  species,  though  confined  chiefly  to  the  woods 
and  forests,  and,  like  all  the  rest  of  its  tribe  that  visit  Pennsylvania,  is 
a  bird  of  passage.    It  arrives  here  late  in  April :  has  a  loud,  lively, 


IS 


*    KKSWEI.'S    Hist.  J:!!!l. 


1^  I 


134  RED-EYED  FLYCATCHER. 

So  res  have  almost  all  become  mute,  the  notes  of  the  ^ed-eycd  Fly- 
where  this  bird  winters,  and  is  probably  also  resident,  it  is  calletl,  as 

keirS  o  ilelly  I"  very  distinctly.    It  inhabits  from  Georgia  to 
SS  River  St  Lawrence,  leaving  Pennsylvania  about  th.  mid^-le  ot 

^""tS  b1[d  builds,  in  the  month  of  May,  a  small,  neat,  pensile  nrst, 
eelmlly  suspended  between  two  twigs  of  a  young  dog-wood  or  ot^ier 
^     iic-n^n,^^     U  iq  hune  by  the  two  upper  edges,  seldom  nt  a  gr<  iter 
rStthanLrorVve"Lt^^^^        gfound.  ^It  is  formed  of  pieces 
Sf  tnSsCTt^,^^^^^^  flax,  fragmentsV  withered  leaves,  shpsot  vine 
hark  bits  of  paper,  all  glued  togeUier  with  the  saliva  of  the  bird,  and 
SKf  cJterpi  lars,  so  as  to^  be  very  compact;  the  mside  is  lined 
wfth  fin?  slips  of  grape-vine  bark,  fibrous  grass,  and  sometimes  hur. 
These  neste  are  so  Arable,  that  I  have  often  known  them  to  resist  •  .c 
Son  ofThe  weather  for  'a  year;  and,  in  one  instance  I  have  found 
the  ne.t  of  the  Yellow-Bird  built  in  the  cavity  of  one  of  Jiose  of  the 
nrecedine  year.    The  mice  very  often  take  possession  of  them  after 
thev  are^abandoned  by  the  owners.    The  eggs  are  four,  sometimes 
fivP^mirewE  except  near  the  great  end,  where  they  are  marked 
wiO.  r^w  small  do7of  dark  brow^n  or  reddish.    They  generally  raise 

'"TErR^d-eyed  F^yTat^her  is  one  of  Uie  adopted  nurses  of  the  Cow 
Bird  and  a  vTy  favorite  one,  showing  all  the  symptoms  of  affection 
for  the  foundling,  and  as  much  solicitude  for  its  safety,  as  if  it  were  its 
^™S7u?eof  that  singular  bird,  accompanied  by  a  particular 

%Tfr[it e'So^tE^^^  ftta^not  he  amiss  to  observe  that 
there  is  another,  and  a  rather  less  species  of  Flycatcher,  somewhat 
resembling  the  Red-eyed,  which  is  frequently  found  in  its  company 
Iteevesafe  hazel;  its^ack  more  cinereous  than  the  other  and  it  has 
a  single  Ught  streak  over  the  eye.    The  notes  of  this  bird  are  low 
«omPwhat  plaintive,  but  warbled  out  with  great  sweetness,  and  fonn 
a  sTiSg  cSrasr^ith  those  of  the  Red-eyed  Flycatcher     I  think  it 
Jrobable  that  Dr.  Barton  had  reference  to  this  b,r5  when  he  made  the 
following  remarks,  (see  bis  Fra^nls  of  the  ^f^^iS'tl  wiS 
wZmnia  page  19  :)  —  " jVwcicapa  olivacecu-l  do  not  think  with  Mr. 
FennaS  thaf  tli  s  is  the  snme  bird  as  the  Wlnp-tom-kelly  of  the  West 
Indir  Ou  b  id  has  no  such  note,  but  a  great  variety  of  soft,  tender 
and  agreeable  notes.    It  inhabits  forests,   and   does   no^  like    the 
West  KdL  bird,  build  a  pendulous  nest"    Had  the  learned  professor. 
JT  J' ..:"7;„^>„,1  into  this  matter  with  his  usual  accuracy,  he  would 
£vefoundThattiie'itft«cicajwoKt;acea,and^^         and  tender  «ong- 


MARSH   WREN. 


la'* 


Bter  he  mentions,  are  two  very  distinct  speciea  ;  and  that  botli  the  one 
nnd  the  other  actually  build  very  curious,  pendulous  nests. 

Tliis  species  is  five  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  seven  inches  in  ex 
tent;  crown,  ash,  slightly  tinged  witli  olive,  bordered  on  each  side  with 
a  line  of  black,  below  which  is  a  line  of  white  passing  from  the  nostril 
over  and  a  little  beyond  the  eye ;  tlie  bill  is  longer  than  usual  with 
birds  of  its  tribe,  the  upper  mandible  overhanging  tlie  lower  consid 
erably,  and  notched,  dusky  above,  and  light  blue  below ;  all  the  rest 
of  the  plumage  above  is  of  a  yellow  olive,  relieved  on  the  tail,  and  at 
the  tips  of  the  wings,  with  brown ;  chin,  throat,  breast,  and  belly,  pure 
white ;  inside  of  the  wings  and  vent-featliers,  greenish  yellow ;  the 
tail  IS  very  slightly  forked;  legs  and  feet,  light  blue  ;  iris  of  the  eye, 
red.  The  female  is  marked  nearly  in  the  same  manner,  and  is  distin- 
guisliable  only  by  the  greater  obscurity  of  tlie  colors 


MARSH  WREN.  — CERTHIA  PALUSTRIS  —  Fio.  50. 

Lath.  Byn.  Suvpl.  p.  344.— Motacilla  paluslris,  (regulus  minor.)  Bartram,  p.  291. 
—  Peale's  Museum,  No.  7282. 

TROGLODYTES  PJlLUSTRlS.  —  Boixkrkurg. 

Troglodyte*  paluslris,  .Bonap.  Synop.  p.  93.  — The  Marsh  Wren,  Aud.  pi,  100. 
On.  Biog.  I.  p.  600.  —  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  319. 

This  obscure  but  spirited  little  species  has  been  almost  overlooked 
b^  the  naturalists  of  Europe,  as  well  as  by  those  of  its  own  ountry. 
The  singular  attitude  in  which  it  is  represented  will  be  recogn,/,ed,  by 
those  acquainted  with  its  manners,  as  one  of  ita  most  common  and 
favorite  ores,  while  skipping  tlirough  among  the  reeds  and  rushes. 
The  Marsh  Wren  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  about  the  middle  of  May,  or 
da  soon  as  the  reeds  and  a  species  of  nymphea,  usually  called  splatter- 
docks,  which  grow  in  great  luxuriance  along  the  tide  water  of  our 
rivers,  are  sufficiently  high  to  shelter  it  To  such  places  it  almost 
wholly  limits  its  excursions,  seldom  venturing  far  from  the  river.  Its 
food  consists  of  flying  msects,  and  their  larvro,  and  a  species  of  green 
grasshoppers  that  inhabit  the  reeds.  As  to  its  notes,  it  would  be  mere 
burlesque  to  call  them  by  the  name  of  son<f.  Standinir  on  the  reedy 
borders  of  the  Schuylkill  or  Delaware,  in  tlie  month  of  June,  you  hear 
a  low,  crackling  sound,  something  similar  to  that  produced  by  air  bub- 
bles forcing  their  way  through  mud  or  bogfry  ground  when  trod  upon ; 
this  is  tlie  song  of  the  Marsh  Wren.  But  as,  among  the  hum:iii  race, 
It  is  not  given  to  one  man  to  excel  in  every  thing,  and  yet  each,  per 
haps,  has  something  peculiarly  his  own,  so,  among  birds,  we  find  a 
like  distribution  of  talents  and  peculiarities.  The  little  bird  now  be- 
fore us,  if  deficient  md  contemptible  in  singing,  excels  in  the  art  of 
design,  and  conatructa  a  nest,  which,  in  durabilif^'  warmth,  and  conve- 


136 


MARSH  WREN. 


niencc,  is  scarcely  inftrior  to  one,  and  far  «wj)enor  to  many,  of  »»*•  "ifiro 
musical  brothrorL  Thi.  is  formcl  outwardly  of  wet  rushes  nuxert  with 
mud,  well  intertwisted,  and  fashioned  into  Uio  form  of  a  cocoa  nut  A 
Bmall  hole  is  hit  two  thirds  up,  for  entrance,  the  upper  edgo  of  winch 
projects  liko  a  pent-house  over  Uve  lower,  to  prevent  the  adnnssion  ot 
rain.  The  inside  is  lined  with  fine,  soR  gross,  and  sou.otnnes  tot-thers  { 
and  the  outside,  when  hardened  by  the  sun,  resists  every  kind  ot  weath- 
er  This  nest  in  jrenerally  suspended  .imong  the  roeds,  above  Uie 
re'ach  of  the  hip'  ^t  tides,  and  is  tied  so  in  t  in  every  part  to  tho  sur- 
rounding roeds,  a.-*  to  bid  defiance  to  the  wiiuls  and  the  waves.  1  he 
eess  are  usually  six,  ol  a  dark  fawn  color,  nnd  very  sum  1.  The  young 
leavo  the  nest  about  the  '2()th  of  Juuf,  and  tli  7  generally  have  a  bcc- 
ond  brood  in  tho    ame  season.  .       .,    ,  ., 

The  size,  general  color,  and  habit  of  this  bird  of  erecting  its  ta,], 
Bive  IN  to  a  superficial  observer,  something  of  Uie  appearance  of  the 
Comm..n  House  Wren,  represented  in  Fig.  31 ;  and  still  more  that  ot 
tlie  Wint.  Wren,  Fig.  34;  but  with  Uie  former  ot  these  ^  "^^v"  nsso- 
ciatea;  and  the  latter  has  loft  us  some  time  before  the  Marsh  Wren 
makes  his  appearaii- x>.  About  the  middle  of  August,  they  begin  to  go 
olT:  and,  on  the  Ist  of  SeptembiT,  very  few  ot  them  are  to  bo  seen. 
How  far  north  the  migrations  of  this  species  extend,  1  am  unable  to 
say ;  none  of  them,  to  my  knowledge,  winter  in  Georgia,  or  any  ot  the 

Southern  States.  ,    ■    •       i.    *    *k„  «,i,«i« 

The  Marsh  Wren  is  live  inches  long,  and  six  in  extent;  the  whole 
upper^  parts  are  dark  brown,  except  tlio  upper  part  ot  the  head,  back 
of  the  neck,  and  middle  of  the  back,  which  are  black,  tjliot^vo  last 
streaked  with  whito  ;  Uic  tail  is  short,  rounded,  and  barred  with  black, 
wines,  slightly  barred ;  a  broad  strip  of  white  passes  oyer  the  eye  ha  f 
way  down  the  neck;  Uie  sides  of  the  neck  are  also  mottled  wiUi  touch- 
es of  a  light  clay  color  on  a  whitish  ground ;  whole  under  parts,  pure 
Bilverv  white,  except  the  vent,  which  is  tinged  with  brown;  the  legs 
are  light  brown;  tlie  hind  claw,  large,  semicircular,  and  vory  sharp; 
bill,  slender,  slightly  bent;  nostrils,  prominent ;  tongue,  narrow,  y^ery 
tap4ring,  sharp  pointed,  and  homy  at  the  extremity ;  eye,  hazel.  The 
femf  ,ie  almost  exactly  resembles  the  male  in  plumage.  ,      ,.  * 

From  the  above  description,  and  a  view  of  Fig.  50,  the  naturahst 
will  perceive  that  this  species  is  truly  a  Certhia,  or  Creeper;  and  in- 
deed its  habits  confirm  this,  as  it  is  continually  climbing  along  Uie 
stalks  of  reeds,  and  other  aquatic  plants,  in  search  of  insects. 


i  n 


5  ^ 


r 


■v 


.s< 


pf'nt 


OltEAT  CAROLINA  WREN. 


137 


GREAT  CAROLINA   WREN.-CERTHIA  CAROLINIANA. - 

Fio.  51. 

Le  Roitelet  de  la  Louisiana,  PL  enl.  730,  fig.  L  —  Lath.  Syn.  vii.  p.  607,  var.  b.  — 
Le  Troglodytes  de  la  Louisiana,  £«/.  Ois.  v.  p.  36L  — Motacilla  Caroliniaaa, 
(regulus  magnus,)  Bartram,  p.  291.  — fea/e's  Musmm,  No.  7248. 

TROOLODYTES    LUDOVICMJVUS.  —  Bonaparte. 

Troglodytes  Ludovicianus,  Bonap.  Sifnop.  p.  93.  — The  Great  Carolina  Wren, 
Aud.  pi.  78,  male  and  female.  Om.  Biog.  i.  p.  399. 

This  is  another  of  those  equivocal  species  that  so  often  occur  to 
puzzle  the  naturalist  The  general  appearance  of  this  bird  is  such,  that 
tJie  most  illiterate  would  at  iirst  sight  call  it  a  Wren ;  but  the  Common 
Wren  of  Europe,  and  tlie  Winter  Wren  of  the  United  States,  are  both 
Warblers,  judging  tliem  according  to  tlie  simple  principle  of  Linnreus. 
The  present  species,  however,  and  the  preceding,  ( the  Marsh  Wren, ) 
though  possessing  great  family  likeness  to  those  above  mentioned,  are 
decisively  Creepers,  if  the  bill,  the  tongue,  nostrils,  and  claws,  are  to 
be  the  criteria  by  which  we  are  to  class  them. 

The  color  of  the  plumage  of  birds  is  but  an  uncertain  and  inconstant 
guide ;  and  though  in  some'cases  it  serves  to  furnish  a  trivial  or  specific 
appellation,  yet  can  never  lead  us  to  the  generic  one.  I  have,  there- 
fore, notwitlistanding  the  general  appearance  of  these  birds,  and  the 
practice  of  former  ornithologists,  removed  them  to  the  genus  CeHUa, 
from  that  of  Motacilla,  where  they  have  hitherto  been  placed.* 

This  bird  is  frequently  seen,  early  in  May,  along  the  shores  of  the 
Delaware,  and  other  streams  that  fall  into  it  on  both  sides,  thirty  or 
forty  miles  below  Philadelphia ;  but  is  ratiicr  rare  in  Pennsylvania. 
This  circumstance  is  a  little  extraordinary ;  since,  from  its  size  and 
stout  make,  it  would  seem  more  capable  of  braving  the  rigors  of  a 
northern  climate  than  any  of  the  others.  It  can,  however,  scarcely  be 
called  migratory.  In  the  depth  of  winter  I  found  it  numerous  in  Vir- 
ginia, along  the  shores  and  banks  of  the  James  River,  and  its  tributary 
streams,  and  thence  as  far  south  as  Savannah.    I  also  observed  it  on 

*  Of  this  bird,  and  some  others,  Vieillot  formed  his  genus  Tryothorm,  containinff 
the  larger  Wrens,  with  long,  and  somewhat  curved  bills,  and  possessing,  if  possi- 
ble, more  of  the  habits  of  the  Creepers.  This  has,  with  almost  universal  consent, 
been  laid  aside  oven  aa  a  sub-genus,  and  they  are  all  included  in  Troslodyles. 
Kead  the  descnptions  of  our  author,  or  of  Audubon,  and  the  habits  of  the  Wren 
will  lie  at  once  perceived.  "  Its  tail,"  says  the  latter  ornithologist,  "  is  almost  con- 
stant y  erect  ;  and  before  it  starts  to  make  the  least  flight,  it  uses  a  quick  motion 
which  brings  its  body  almost  in  contact  with  the  object  on  which  it  stands.  The 
quickness  ol  the  motions  of  this  little  bird  is  fully  equal  to  that  of  a  mouse  :  it  ap- 
pears and  IS  out  of  sight  m  a  moment;  peeps  into  a  crevice,  passes  rapidly  ihrouffh 
It,  and  shows  itself  at  a  different  place  the  next  instant.  These  Wrens  often  sing 
from  the  roof  of  an  abandoned  flat-boal.  When  the  song  is  finished,  they  creep 
from  one  board  to  another,  thrust  themselves  through  an  auger  hole,  enterW  the 
boat  8  side  at  one  place,  and  peeping  out  at  another."  In  then,  we  have  exactly 
portrayed  the  manners  of  our  British  Wren,  when  engaged  about  a  heap  of  rubbish 
old  stones,  or  barrels  in  a  farm  yard.  —  Ed. 
1Q# 


138 


GREAT  CAROLINA  WREN. 


the  banks  of  the  0<rechee.     It  ^emod  to  bo  particularly  attached  to 

caying  timber,  '^":^p^y";5^""gkj;pi'  about  with  great  nimbleness, 
jerkingmannersofthe  W  ens  shp^^^^  and  crevices,  like  a 

^vora  chi,r.rup,  dwelling  long  and  -strongly  on  the  Ij^^  ^jmo 
so  loud,  that  fat  fj^st  mistook  it  for  the  Red-Bi^ 

r/v'p  novcr  vet  been  so  fortunate  as  to  find  its  nest,  yet,  from  the  cir- 

ZT^Z  M  n^Ly  be  tttrSiern  boiInSaries  of  their  visits,  having 

^The  Great  Wren  of  Carolina  i.  five  inches  and  a  quarter  long,  and 
1  he  Great  vvr^"  ?^  "^  ^    j^^g  oddish  brown,  the  wings 

seven  broad;  the  ^7«l^.^"P'f '/.'^.'k  of  Yellowish  white  runs 
r'  tltsfriirrth:  eye  down  t ,  side  onJe'  nock,  neailv  to  the 
S^ebflTas   eak'o'f  reddish  brown  extends  from  tfie  pes- 

™\n'thi3  species  I  have  observed  a  circumstance  common  to  the 
Hnn.P  and  Winter  Wren,  but  which  is  notfound  in  the  Marsh  Wren  - 


YELLOW-TURC  AT   WARBLER. 


139 


brown  at  the  surface,  and  each  feather  with  a  spot  of  white  between 
these  two  colora.  This,  however,  cannot  be  perceived  without  partine 
the  feathers.  * 


!  1 


YELLOW-THROAT  WARBLER.  -  SYLVIA   FLAVICOLLIS. - 

Fio.  52. 

Yellow-lhroat  Warbler,*  ^rc<  Zool.p.  400.  ^o.286.  — Catesb.  i.  62. —  Lath.  ii. 
437. •-  La  Mesange  grise  a  gorge  jaune,  Buff.  v.  454.—  La  gorge  jaune  de  Si. 
Domingue,  PL  etU.  686,  fig.  I. 

SYLVICOLA  FLJ1VIC0LUS.  —  Sy, KivtOK. 

Sylvia  pensilis,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  79.-8.  pensilis,  LaHi. 

The  habits,  of  this  beautiful  species,  like  those  of  the  preceding, 
are  not  consistent  with  the  shape  and  construction  of  its  bill ;  the  for- 
mer would  rank  it  with  the  Titmouse,  or  with  the  Creepers ;  the  latter 
18  decisively  that  of  the  Warbler.  Tlie  first  opportunity  I  had  of 
examining  a  living  specimen  of  this  bird,  was  in  the  southern  parts 
of  Georgia,  in  the  month  of  February.    Its  notes,  which  were  pretty 

*  As  with  many  others,  there  has  been  some  confusion  in  the  synonymes  of  this 
species,  and  it  has  been  described  under  different  names  by  the  same  authors. 
That  ofjlavicollis,  adopted  by  our  author,  is  characteristic  of  the  markings ;  wiiereaa 
vensihs,  of  Latham  and  Vieillot,  is  applicable  to  the  whole  group;  and  perhaps  re- 
storing Wilson's  name  will  create  less  confusion  than  taking  one  less  known.  The 
geims  Sylvicola,  with  the  sub-genus  Vermivora,  have  been  used  by  Mr.  Mwainson 
to  designate  alniDSt  all  those  birds  in  North  America,  which  will  represent  the  Eu- 
ropean Sylviance,  or  Warblers.  They  are  generally  of  a  stronger  make :  the  bill 
though  slender,  is  more  conical,  and  the  wings  have  the  first  and  second  quills  of 
nearly  equal  length.  The  general  dress  is  chaste  and  unobtrusive ;  but,  at  the  same 
time,  we  have  exceptions,  showing  great  brilliancy  and  beauty  of  coloring.  Their 
habits  are  precisely  the  same  with  our  Warblers.  Thoy  frequent  woods  and  thick- 
ets. They  are  in  constant  motion,  creeping  and  clinging  about  the  branches,  and 
insTCcting  the  crevices  in  the  bark,  or  under  sides  of  ttie  leaves,  in  search  of  insects 
When  their  duties  of  incubation  are  over,  ihey  become  less  retired,  and,  with  their 
broods,  assemble  in  the  gardens  and  ciiltivatcd  grounds,  where  they  find  sustenance 
m  the  various  fruits  and  berries.  The  notes  of  all  are  sprightly  and  pleasant ;  and 
a  few  poss<!SS  a  melody  hardly  inferior  to  the  best  songsters  of  Europe. 

Mr.  Audubon  has  figured  the  following  birds,  which  appear  to  nink  under  this 
genus,  as  hitherto  undescribed  :  —  Sylvia  Rathbonia,  Aud.,  male  and  female,  plate 
Ixv.  He  met  with  this  species  only  once  -,  it  is  entirely  of  a  bright  vollow  color 
about  four  and  a  half  inches  in  length.  The  bill  appears  more  bent"  than  in  the 
typical  species.  Syliia  Roscoe,  Aud.  plate  xxiv.  male;  looking  more  like  a 
Trichas,  shot  on  the  Mississippi,  the  only  one  seen.  The  colors  of  the  upper  parts 
are  dark  olive,  a  slender  white  streak  over  each  eve,  and  a  bmad  black  band  from 
the  eve  downwards  ;  the  under  parts,  yellow.  Sylvia  Childrenii.  Aud.  n]au-  xxxv. : 
killed  in  the  state  of  [,ouisiana  ;  only  tv/o  specimens  were  met  with.  General  color 
of  the  plumage,  yellowish  green  ;  length,  about  four  inches  and  three  quarters. 

We  cannot  but  regret  the  want  of  specimens  of  tliese  interesting  and  rare  species 
Their  authority  will  rest  upon  Mr.  Audubon's  plates.  It  is  impossible,  from  them 
alone,  to  say,  with  precision,  that  they  belong  to  this  genus  ;  and  ihey  are  placed 
in  it  provisionally,  with  the  view  of  making  the  list  as  complete  as  possible,  and 
to  point  them  out  to  others  who  may  have  the  opportunity  of  examining  them. 


140  TYRANT  FLYCATCHER,  OR  KING  BIRD. 

,oua  and  ^^^rn^^^^^^  Sr^tuJi 

continued  a  considerable  t  me  ""^  ^j'^'^S^/^anner  of  the  'fitmouse, 
the  branches,  and  «n^«"?  ^"„f  ^ 'mSutes.  On  flying  to  another 
uttering  its  song  «^f.^y,  J^n  Jhe Tody,  and  ran  nimbly  up  or  down, 
tree,  it  frequently  ^^^^ted  o"  Uie  body,  ^  ^^^  afterwards 

Boirally  and  perpendicularly, »"  =^^f "     ■       anie  species,  and  found 

Tny  Vities  «$ -^^ part  cut^^^^^^  "Es  w^as  about  the  24th 
them  all  to  correspond  in  these  particu,  ^^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^^^  f 

ofFebruary,andthe  first  of  their  a^^^^^^^^  ^^^.^^  winter,  and 

they  leave  the  United  States  ~  previously  informed 

conWently,gotonogreatd.9tanc^^^^  ^^^^^ejn  parte 

S^C^UdlCtfeVvT^^^^^^^^^^       - '-  -^'^ "  '^""^^' 

^^i  species  is  A- ^^^  rnriie^lf  Ind^-S:  -  Ttetght 
half  broa^,  the  whole  back,  J^d  head,  ana  rmn^,  ^.^  ^.  ^^^ 

sMe  color-;  .the  tail  ^^S^^e  S S^^^^^^^ 
slBtp  •  the  wings  are  also  blacK,  tne  "i^ee  =i       „i;„htlv  edged  with  the 
edTed  wfth  light  blue ;  all  the  ^1"^^"^  "/.  anTedged  ^      white,  , 
Sel  the  firsj  row  of -ing-coverts  -  ^^^^lX^f.,,,^ersMes, 
thesecond,whollywhite  orneariyso    tne       ^^^^^^  ^^     ^^^ 

and  above  the  temple,  are  black  ,ine  ^^^    ^^^^^  ^^^^ 

nostril,  whole  throat,  and  m^dle^^^^  ^^^''^^^J  \elnnd  the  ear-feathers, 
the  lower  eyelid,  Ime  ^^  J^f  ^^^^^Vre  puVe  white ;  the  yellow  on  he 
as  well  as  the  whole  lower  parts,  ?^^^  {"^^j^-^^  also  extend  along  the 
throat  is  bordered  with  touches  of  b  ack,  «  ^j-^ij  represented  in 
sides,  under  die  wmgs  5  jhe  bill  is  b^^^^^^^  ^^^  ^^  .^^aws,  extremely 
the  figure;  the  legs  and  f««t'yf';''!;:i"  "nous,  and  lacerated  at  the 
fine  tinted;  the  *?"£"?' 'll^JsTadS^^^^  ^^  ^^°^' 

^"f-    ^'rtiSy  Si^ySU- tl^'  throtmuch  diUler ;  the  young 
iYt!^  fiSel^are  without  the  yellow. 

♦- 


Peale's  Museum,  No.  578. 


TYR^JVJVUS  IJVTREPIDUS,  Vie.i-lot. 


.  Gal.  da 
id.  pi.  70, 


ijl 


,-r  Tvrainius  Intrcpitlus,  Vieill. 

"^^^^''''Pf  7<[rrjVo^r^ioST"l^V.-The'Tyrant  Flycatcher,  An 

.   ,     .      ./^  Nnri!.  \mericsi  possesses  only  two  of  the 


■^x 


TYRANT  FLYCATCHER,  OR  KING  BIRD. 


141 


northern  districts.  The  epithet  T)frant,  which  is  generally  applied  to 
him  by  naturalists,  I  am  not  altogether  so  well  satisfied  with;  some, 
however,  may  think  the  two  terms  pretty  nearly  synonymous. 

form,  Tijranninm,  represented  by  Tyrannus.  Of  the  former,  we  have  already  seen 
an  example  at  page  4<J.  'J'hese  are  comparatively  few  ;  the  great  bulk  of  that  form 
being  coiihned  to  Africa  and  the  warmer  parts  of  Asia  and  India;  and,  with  the 
lar.er,  we  enter  nito  tlie  great  mass  of  American  Flycatchers,  ranging  over  both 
the  continents,  particularly  the  southern.  >       »    c. 

"  Tropical  America,"  Mr.  Swuinson  remarks,  "  swarms  with  the  Tyranninm,  so 
much  so,  that  several  indivKiuals,  of  three  or  four  species,  may  be  seen  in  the  sur- 
rounding  trees  at  the  same  moment,  watching  for  passing  insects ;  each,  however, 
looks  out  for  Its  own  particular  prey,  and  does  not  interfere  with  such  as  appear 
destined  by  Nature  for  its  stionger  and  less  feeble  associates.  It  is  only  towards 
the  termination  of  the  rainy  season,  when  myriads  of  the  Termites  mA  Formicce 
emerge  from  the  earth  m  their  winged  state,  that  the  whole  family  of  Tyrants,  of 
all  sizes  and  species,  commence  a  regular  and  simultaneous  attack  upon  the  thou- 
sands  which  then  spring  from  the  ground." 

From  their  long-accepted  name  we  have  some  idea  of  their  manners.  They 
possess  extensive  powers  of  locomotion,  to  enable  them  to  secure  a  prey  at  once 
active  and  vigilant ;  and  their  long  and  sharp  wings  are  beautifully  formed  for 
quick  and  rapid  flight.*^  The  tail,  next  in  importance  as  a  locomotive  organ,  is 
also  generally  of  a  term  joining  the  greatest  advantages,  —  that  of  a  forked  shape : 
m  some  with  the  exterior  feathers  extending  to  a  considerable  length,  whilef  in 
others  certanily  only  shg'itlv  divaricatiiig,  or  nearly  square;  but  never,  as  among 
the  Tliamnophihme,  or  Rush  Shrikes,  ofa  graduated  or  rounded  form,  where  the 
individuals  seek  their  prey  by  stealth  and  prowling,  and  require  no  great  extent  of 
«!ght;  on  the  other  hand,  those  organs  of  less  utility  for  securing  the  means  of  sus- 
tenance, are  of  much  inferior  strength  and  power.  The  accessory  members  for 
seizing  their  insect  prey  arc,  in  like  manner,  adapted  to  their  other  powers ;  the 
bill,  though  of  considerable  strength,  is  flattened ;  the  rictus  being  ample,  and  fur- 
nished with  bristles.  The  genus  Tiirannus,  however,  does  not  entirely  feed  on 
insects  when  on  wmg,  like  the  smaller  Tyrannulm,  but,  as  shown  by  Mr.Swainson, 
will  also  feed  on  small  fish  and  aquatic  insects  ;  and,  if  this  fact  be  united  with  the 
weak  lormation  of  the  tarsi,  and,  in  several  species,  having  the  toes  united  at  the 
base,  there  will  be  an  evident  connection  between  this  group  and  the  Fissirostres 
1  hat  gentleman,  m  the  second  volume  of  the  Northern  Zoolomi,  relates  a  fact 
from  his  journal  when  resident  in  Brazil,  most  beautifully  illustrative  of  this  affinity 
and  shows  the  value  of  attending  to  all  circumstances  relative  to  the  habits  of  in- 
dividuals, which,  thougii,  like  the  present,  of  no  importance  alone,  will,  when  taken 
m  connection  with  other  views,  be  of  the  very  utmost  consequence.  "  Aoril  7  1817 
Sitting  in  the  house  this  morning,  I  suddenly' heard  a  splash  in  the  lake  close'to  the 
window  ;  on  looking  out,  I  saw  a  common  Gray-breasted  Tyrant  ( Tyrannus  cm- 
(Mis)  perched  upon  a  dead  branch  hanging  over  the  w^ter,  plunging  and  drying 
Itself.  Intent  upon  watching  this  bird,  I  saw  it,  within  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  'dive 
into  the  lake  two  successive  times,  after  some  small  fish  or  aquatic  in.-ecls,  precisely 
like  a  Kingfisher;  this  action  was  done  with  amazing  celerity,  and  it  then  took  its 
former  station  to  plume  and  dry  its  feathers."  Hero  we  have  exactly  the  habits  of 
the  Kingfisher  ;  and  I  believe  a  contrariety  of  manner,  equally  worthy  of  remark 
IS  observed  among  some  of  the  Dacehnes,  frequenting  woods,  and  dartiii"^  by  sur- 
prise on  the  larger  insects.  Both  tribes  have  another  similarity  in  their  economy 
and  delight  to  sit  motionless,  either  watching  their  prey,  or  pLi'ming  and  resting  oii 
the  extremity  or  top  of  some  dead  branch,  pale,  or  peaked  rock.  With  ren-ard  to 
the  Tyrant's  being  not  only  carnivorous,  but  preying  also  on  the  weaker  rqitiles, 
we  h,.,t  me  authority  of  Azara,  who  mentions  the  common  Ttjranmis  snlphuratus, 
(jr  Hentivo  of  Brazil,  as  "  S'approchcnt  dcs  animaux  morts  pour  I'emporter  des 
debris  ct  des  petits  morceaux  de  chair  que  laissent  les  Caraijaras."  And  Mr 
f^wainson  (North.  Zool.  ii.  133)   has  him<!cif  taken  from  the  stomach  of  this  species 

*  In  timny  spncius  the  quills  bect.mo  siicMnnlv  nmnrslnntoif  at  the  tips.    This  also  occuri 
in  tlie  subgenera  MUvulus  and  JVegeta,  both  much  nllied,  and  possessing  great  powerg  of 


I'   ' 

I 


,142  TYRANT  Fi  vrATfJHER,  OR  KING  BIRD. 

^     The  trivial  name  Kin,,  as  -f  , -p^'lf'iraS"  i^yT^^^^^^ 
this  bird  for  it3  extraordinary  behavior  ^J       At  tba  s/ason  his  ex- 
over  all  others  during  t^e  time  o.  breeding^    Ay n^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^.^ 

treme  affection  ^"^  his^^f  ^\^"ii'''    ^  dSs  ^^^^i^^^^^^ 

suspicious  of  every  bird  that  happens  ^  pass^J^r  n  ^^^^^ 

that\eattecks,witlioutdjnrmn^on,    ve^i^^^  ^^^„^  ^^ 

of  May,  June,  and  part  of  July,  '"«  li>''  J-  °'  g.^Uv  comes  off  ron- 
broils  and  battles ;  in  which  however,  he  gene  ally  c^  ^^^^^ 

queror.  Hawks  and  Crows,  the  Bi'^A  ^'^fjfj'  ^^uXss  little  cham- 
Lgle,  all  equally  dread  a  ,enc.un  er  wi  h  ^iB^^.untle^  appiouching 
p  on,  who,  as  soon  as  he  perceives  o  e-  co^i  iderab  e  lu  itht 

launches  into  '.he  air  to  meet  h™' J"°""^Jj„^e  fl  it  there  !o  ihe 
above  him,  and  darts  down  on  his  back,  somet  me  n.n  ^^ 

great  annoyance  of  hi«  fovereign,  who,  f  no  c^^^^  ^^^^,j. 

resting-place  be  near,  e'^dedvors  by  mmns  ev^oMions  r^  .^^_ 

of  his  merciless  .aversary.  J^,'^%^,";J',"  .f  ^teeprupon  him'from 
mounted.    He  leases  thj' 1; -r^    UKeBsai  l^^^^^^  ^.^  ^^ 

right  to  leMemmintj^  lia^ -■  -y,f  ^  it^U  and  rapid  twitter- 
greater  violence ;  all  me  wni.i  ',''•''».'_  r„  ^oje  than  a  mile, 
fng;  and  continuing  the  attaclr  '^f^f;'''^'f^J'-"'3y  eager  for  tlie 
till  he  is  relieved  by  some  otac^  'Xhx..  tnbe  tquauy  «  „ 

contest  ,.  ,  ,  .  •    .,  Nv  ite  f-unerior  rapidity  of  flight. 

There  is  -ne  bird,  however,  vu>. . ,  ^7  '^  J/^^ve  several  times 

is  sometimes  more  than  a  m^'tch  ic.  Jini ,  ana  i  nav  ^^^.^ 

witnessed  his  precipitate  retreat  b<^f  „^„*^?  ^.^on  aS&  similar 
is  the  Purple  Martin,  one  ^bosef.od  and  disposition  ar  p      y  .^ 

■3  his  own,  but  who  has  greatly  the  rulvantageotmni  o  S.^^^ 

,ould  have  IXicn  .wUowclby  il.»        1  J  '   "  "J'^J^  ,.  oi  .he  olher  exlremil,  a. 

Turarmus  borealts,  Sw.  .    Swainson  considers  undescribed, 

0..1y  one  specimen  of  tins  s.icc.es  ^h'^h  Mr  S^ams„n  ^  .^.^  ^^^^ 

was  procurcd'^    It  was  shot  on  the  ^anks  of  ihe  Wasl^^a  c^^^^^^^^^^  considerably 

King  Bird,  it  is  found  in  the  Far  ^°""  ""^  ""'^  ",ce  C  d  linsuished  from  it  by 
smaVlcr  than  the  Tyrannns  'f'-'-/;'l^'f'"X3/,horteV  tarsi,  as  well  as  by  very 
the  forked  tail  not  tipped  w>  h  wh.  <;,  and  much  snoric     a    ^  depressed 

airtariSi;rtrzsrJr42st,.t..o»,;. 

T.  intrepidus.  —  En. 

*  TlK-y  uro  .l,o  bacci.  .rou-,  «»  .h..wn  by  our  author  in  the  description  of  thi.  -cie. 
and  T.  erinitiu. 


TYRANT  FLYCATCHER,  OR  KING  BIRD. 


143 


and  he  is  liien  as  mild  and  peaceable  as  any 


shift  for  themselves 
other  bird. 

But  he  has  a  wore  3  habit  tlian  all  those,— one  much  more  obnoxious 
h,  the  h'labandman,  and  often  fatal  to  liimself.  He  loves,  not  tJie 
honey,  U\it  the  bees;  and,  it  muat  bo  confessed,  is  frequently  on  tlie 
look-out,  t(.-  these  little  industrious  insectd.  He  plants  liimself  on  a 
post  of  rliv  ;hnce,  or  on  a  small  tree  in  the  garden,  !iot  far  from  the  liives, 
i  i'.d  fror-i  ;honce  sallies  on  them  iia  tliey  pass  and  repays,  making  great 
havock  anv.mg  their  numbers.  His  shrill  twitter,  so  near  to  the  house, 
gives  intimation  to  the  firmer  of  what  is  going  on,  and  the  gun  soon 
closes  his  career  Ibrrjver.  Man  arrogates  to  himself,  in  this  case,  the 
exclusive  privilege  ol"  murder ;  and,  after  putting  tliousands  of  these 
same  little  insects  to  death,  seizes  on  the  fruits  of  their  labor. 

The  King  Birds  arrive  in  Pennsylvania  about  the  ^Otli  of  April, 
Bomotimes  in  small  bodies  of  five  and  six  together,  and  are  at  first 
very  silent,  until  they  begin  to  pair,  and  build  their  nest  This  gener- 
Blly  tiikes  place  about  the  first  week  in  May.  The  nest  is  very  often 
built  in  l.he  orchard,  on  the  horizontal  branch  of  an  apple-tree ;  fre- 
quently also,  at  Catesby  observes,  on  a  sassafras-tree,  at  no  i-reat 
height  from  the  ground.  The  outside  consists  of  small  slender  twigs, 
tops  of  withered  flowers  of  tlio  plant  yarrow,  and  others,  well  wove 
together  with  tow  and  wool ;  and  is  made  large,  and  remarkably  firm 
and  compact.  It  is  usually  lined  with  fine,  dry,  fibrous  grass,  and 
horse  hair.  The  eggs  are  five,  of  a  very  pale  cream  color,  or  dull 
white,  marked  witli  a  few,  large  spots  of  deep  purple,  and  other  smaller 
ones  of  light  brown,  chiefly,  though  not  altogether,  towards  the  great 
end.     They  generally  build  twice  in  the  season. 

The  King  Bird  is  altogether  destitute  of  song,  having  only  the 
shrill  twitter  above  mentioned.  His  usual  mode  of  flight  is  singular. 
The  vibrations  of  his  broad  wings,  as  lie  moves  slowly  over  the  fields, 
resemble  those  of  a  Hawk  hovering  and  settling  in  the  air  to  recon- 
noitre the  ground  below  ;  and  the  object  of  the  King  Bird  is  no  doubt 
something  similar,  viz.,  to  look  out  for  passing  insects,  either  in  the 
air,  or  among  the  flowers  ind  blossoms  below  him.  In  fields  of  pasture 
he  often  takes  his  stand  on  the  tops  of  the  mullein,  and  other  rark 
weeds,  near  the  cattle,  and  makes  occasional  sweeps  after  passing 
insects,  particularly  the  large,  black  gadfly,  so  tenufying  to  iiorses  and 
cattle.  His  eye  moves  restlessly  around  him,  traces  the  flight  of  an 
insect  for  a  moment  or  two,  then  that  of  a  second,  and  even  a  third, 
until  he  perceives  one  to  his  liking,  wlien,  Avith  a  shrill  sweep,  he 
pursues,  seizes  it,  and  returns  to  the  same  spot  again,  to  look  out  for 
more.  This  habit  is  so  conspicuous  when  he  is  watching  tlie  bee-hive, 
that  several  intelligent  farmers  of  my  acquaintance  are  of  opinion 
that  he  picks  out  only  the  drones,  !ind  never  injures  the  working  bees. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  he  certainly  gives  a  preference  to  one  bee,  and  one 
species  of  insect,  over  another.  He  hovers  ovor  the  river,  sometimes 
for  a  considerable  time,  darting  after  insects  that  frequent  such  places, 
snatching  them  from  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  diving  about  in  the 
air  like  a  Swallow ;  for  he  possesses  at  will  great  powers  of  wing. 
Numbers  of  them  are  frequently  seen  thus  engaged,  for  hours  together, 
over  the  Rivers  Delaware  and  Schuylkill,  in  a  calm  day,  particularly 
towards  e-ening.    He  bathes  himself  by  diving  repeatedly  into  the 


^Wjr 


4 


% 


UA  TYKANT  FLYCATC  iER,  OR  KING  BIRD. 

.ate.  fro.  the  ove..n,in.  branches  of  so.e  tre.  where  he  s.t«  to 

t^«  '^-f':.-'iLr  S^at  in  destroW  -lUt^des  of  .nse^^^^^^^ 


S  or,  if  you  will,  on  ^«  "'^^^^'/t^-^r  multitudes  of  insects, 
This  bird  is  greatly  hifl  friend   in  d^B^  oyin|  i,„i„iy  his  corn, 

whose  larv-B  prey  on  ^^J^'^'^f.^pk^L  These  "oxious  insecte  are 
fruit-trees,  cucumbers,  and  P"'"P"^''7-_4v8  upon  a  very  moderate 
£  daily  food  f^\''r'jZV^Jy  &^^-^  ofivery  King 
average,  some  l^^n^reds  of  them  daiij^  farmer,  by  multiplying  tlie 
Bird  Is  therefore  an  ac  ual  l^^lJ^J^^'^J  the  depredations  of 
numbers  of  destrucUve  insecte,  and  encoumg^  g^  possible  his  imme- 
Crowa,  Hawks,  and  Eagles  who  avoid  OB  Bird  possesses 

diate  vicinity.    For  myself,  I  «»"f ,  ""J'Jthis  little  bird  for  his  extreme 
no  commonshareof  my  regard.    I  honor  tm  ^^^  unexampled 

dfectionfor  his  young;  for  hiB  23^  are  no  calls  on 

KS^  a^XSetntthe  human  race,  is  3ustly  consid- 

Bui  when  the  blast  ol  war,  &c., 

J     *«„m  fhiq  bird  for  the  millions  of  ruin- 
but,  above  all,  I  honor  and  esteenitJiis  bird  tor  .^  ^^^^^ 

ous  vermin  which  he  rids^  us  of ,  ;^^l^^^^    birds,  would  far  over- 
^^^^^^^^^^  P^e^^dices  of 

somewhat  clearer  and  stronger  hgli^DyP 
poetical  epitome  of  the  King  Bird  s  history 

Whe5e  eKxtreme  alternalely  preva>  s, 

Zd  Nature  sad  their  r^^^\}^^^^  '^,,,,,, 

Lo  !  high  '» '''^.«''°re;te„VBird  hTthIr  hastes; 
With  sprin|'s  retumhe  Kmg  B.rd^  ._^  ^^^^^^ 

Coasts  the  Tamed  Gult,   an°;_    ,    t^d  shores, 
Its  thousand  streams.  Us  '"ng-'." „  "„  "v..  jav 

There  cod  hi.  wandmnf.  md  hi«  ™J  •  . 

«  of  Mexico. 


TYRANT  FLYCATCHER,  OR  KINO  BIRD. 

Come  now,  ye  cowards !  ye  whom  Heaven  diHdaina, 
Who  boast  the  happiest  home  —  the  richest  plains  ; 
On  whom,  perchance,  a  wile,  an  infant's  eye 
Hang  as  their  hope,  and  on  your  arm  rely ; 
Yet,  when  the  hour  of  danger  and  dismay 
Comes  on  your  country,  sneak  in  holes  away, 
Shrink  from  the  perils  yo  were  bound  to  face, 
And  leave  those  babes  and  country  to  disgrace  5 
Come  here,  (if  such  we  have,)  ye  dastard  herd! 
And  kneel  in  dust  before  this  noble  bird. 

When  the  specked  eggs  within  his  nest  appear, 
Then  glows  affection,  ardent  and  sincere ; 
No  discord  sours  him  when  his  mate  he  meets  ; 
But  each  warm  heart  with  mutual  kindness  beats. 
For  her  repast  he  bears  along  the  lea 
The  bloated  gadfly,  and  the  balmy  bee ; 
For  her  repose  scours  o'er  th'  ntljacent  farm. 
Whence  Hawks  might  dart,  or  lurking  foes  alarm} 
For  now  abroad  a  band  of  rutiians  prey. 
The  Crow,  the  Cuckoo,  and  Ih'  insidious  Jay; 
These,  in  the  owner's  absence,  all  destroy. 
And  murder  every  hope  and  every  joy. 

SoA  sits  his  brooding  mate,  her  guardian  he. 
Perched  on  the  top  of  some  tall,  neighboring  tree; 
Thence,  from  the  thicket  to  the  concave  skies. 
His  watchful  eye  around  unceasing  flies. 
Wrens,  Thrushes,  Warblers,  startled  at  his  note, 
Fly  in  aflVight  the  consecrated  spot. 
He  drives  tlie  plundering  Jay,  with  honest  scorn, 
Back  to  his  woods ;  the  Mocker,  to  his  thorn  ; 
Sweeps  round  the  Cuckoo,  as  the  thief  retreats ; 
AttacKs  the  Crow  ;  the  diving  Hawk  defeats ; 
Darts  on  the  Eagle  downwards  from  afar. 
And,  'midst  the  clouds,  prolongs  the  whirling  war. 
All  danger  o'er,  he  hastens  back  elate, 
To  guard  his  post,  and  leed  his  faithful  mate. 

Behold  him  now,  his  little  family  flown. 
Meek,  unassuming,  silent,  and  alone  ; 
Lured  by  the  well-known  hum  of  favorite  bees, 
As  slowhe  hovers  o'er  the  garden  trees  ; 
(For  all  have  failings,  passions,  whims  that  lead. 
Some  favorite  wish,  some  appetite  to  feed  ;) 
Straight  he  alights,  and,  from  the  pear-tree,  spici* 
The  circling  stream  of  humming  insects  rise; 
Selects  his  prey ;  darts  on  the  busy  brood, 
And  shrilly  twitters  o'er  his  savory  food. 

Ah!  ill-limed  triumph  !  direful  note  to  thee, 
That  guides  thy  murderer  to  the  fatal  tree  ; 
See  wliere  he  skulks  !  and  takes  his  gloomy  stand. 
The  deep-charged  musket  hanging  in  his  hand ; 
And,  gaunt  for  blood,  he  leans  it  on  a  rest, 
Prepared,  and  pointed  at  thy  snow-white  breast. 
Ah,  friend  !  good  friend  !  forbear  that  barbarous  deed 
Against  it  valor,  goodness,  pity,  plead; 
If  e'er  a  family's  griefs,  a  widow's  woe. 
Have  reached  thy  soul,  in  mercy  let  him  go  ! 
Yet,  should  the  tear  of  pity  nought  avail, 
Let  interest  speak,  let  gratitude  prevail ; 
Kill  not  thy  friend,  who  thy  whole  harvest  shields, 
And  sweeps  ten  thousand  vermin  from  thy  fields ; 
Think  how  this  dauntless  bird,  thy  poultry's  guara, 
Drove  every  Hawk  and  Eagle  from  thy  yard; 

13 


45 


!     14 


116 


TYRANT  FLYCATCHER,  OR  KING  BIRD 


Watched  round  tliy  o atllc  as  ihey  fed,  aud  slew 
TIk!  hungry,  blackening;  swarms  thai  round  them  flew 
Some  small  return  —  some  little  ri:j,ht  ""'•■ 
And  spare  his  life  whoso  services  .ire 

1  plead  in  vain  !     Amid  the  hii,  . 

The  poor,  lost  King  Bird  welter  u,  bu  gore  ! 

Tliis  spocies  is  eight  inches  long,  a..(i  fourteen  in  extent ;  tlie  gen. 
eral  color  above  is  a  darit  slaty  b.h''  ;  the  head  and  tail  uro  nearly 
black ;  the  latter  even  at  the  end,  and  tipped  witli  white ;  tlie  wings 
are  more  of  a  brownii-li  cast;  tho  qm  Is  and  wing-coverts  are  also 
edged  with  dull  wiiite ;  the  uppor  part  K>f  the  breast  is  tinprpd  '-it>' 

ash;  tho  throat,  and  all  the  rest  of  thn  lower  parts,  are  r  '      ■ ^  . 

the  plumage  on  the  crown,  tiiough  not  forming  a  crest,  w  frequently 
erected,  as  represented  in  the  plate,  and  discovers  a  rich  bed  of  bril- 
liant orange,  or  Jlame  color,  railed  by  the  country  people  his  crown: 
when  the  featlicrH  lie  clurfi;,  this  is  altogetlier  concealed.  The  bill  is 
very  broad  at  the  base,  c'lionging  at  the  point,  and  notched,  of  a 
glossy  black  color,  and  furnished  with  bristles  at  the  base ;  the  legs 
and  feet  arc  black,  se  inied  with  gray  ;  the  eye,  hazel.  The  female 
differs  in  being  more  :  .  unish  on  the  upper  parts,  has  a  smaller  streak 
of  paler  orange  on  the  crown,  and  a  narrower  border  of  duller  white 
on  the  tail.  The  yountf  bs  ds  do  not  receive  the  orange  on  the  head 
during  their  residence  here  the  first  season. 

This  bird  is  very  generally  known  from  the  Lakes  to  Florida.  Be- 
sides insect-  they  feed,  like  every  other  species  of  their  tribe  with 
which  I  am  acquainted,  on  various" sorts  of  berries,  particular'/  black- 
berries, of  which  they  are  extremely  fond.  Early  in  September  ttiey 
leave  Pennsylvania,  on  their  way  to  the  south. 

A  few  days  ago,  I  shot  one  of  these  birds,  the  whole  plumage  (if 
which  was  nearly  white,  or  a  little  inclining  to  a  cream  color ;  it  was 
a  bird  of  the  present  year,  and  could  not  be  more  than  a  month  old. 
This  appeared  also  to  have  been  its  original  color,  as  it  issued  from 
tlie  "srg.  The  skin  was  yellowish  white  ;  the  eye,  much  lighter  than 
usual  ;°the  legs  and  bill,  blue.  It  was  ]r  imp,  and  seemingly  in  good 
order.  I  presented  it  to-  Mr.  Pcale.  Wliatever  may  be  i.he  cause  of 
this  loss  of  color,  if  I  may  so  call  it,  in  birds,  it  is  by  no  mean?  uncom- 
mon among  the  various  tribes  that  inhabit  the  United  Stati  The 
Sparrow  Hawk,  Sparrow,  Robin,  Red-.^  'ed  B'  okbird,  '  many 
others,  arc  occasionally  found  in  white  p  urnage  ;  and  I  belie  vo  that 
such  birds  do  not  become  so  by  climate,  age,  or  disease,  but  that  tliey 
are  miiversally  hatched  so.  The  same  phenomena  are  observable  not 
only  among  various  sorts  of  animals,  hV.  ov.  a  among  the  ')uman 
race;  and  a  white  negro  is  no  less  common,  in  proportion  i,u  their 
numbers,  tlian  a  white  Blackbird ;  though  the  precise  dause  of  tliis  in 
eitlier  is  but  little  understood. 


GREAT  CHESTED  FLYCATCHER. 


147 


GREAT  CRESTED  FLYCATCHER.  -  MUSCICAPA 
CRINITA.  — Fia.54. 

Linn.   Syst    325. -Lath.  ii.  357  -  Arct.  Zool.  p.  386,  No.  267. -Le  Mouche- 


TYRjtJVJVUS  CRIJTITUii.-S 


WAINSOH, 


Tyrannus  ennitus,  Stcain.  Monog.  Joum.  of  Science,  vol.  xx.  p.  271.  — Muscicaoa 
crinitu,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  67. 

Bv  glancing  at  the  physiognomy  of  thid  bird,  and  the  rest  of  the 
hgures  oi  tJie  same  gonus,  it  will  roadily  be  observed  that  they  all  be- 
lon^  to  one  particular  family  of  the  same  genus.  They  possess  strong 
traits  of  their  particular  c<M<e,and  are  all  reii,  rkably  dexterous  atUieir 
profession  of  Hy-catching.  The  one  now  before  us  -  less  generally 
known  than  the  preceding,  being  chiefly  confi,  .  to  the  woods. 
Ihere  his  harsh  s^ueoA  —  for  he  has  no  song  —  is  occasionally  heard 
above  nu,  I  elhers.  He  also  visits  tlie  orchard;  is  equally  fond  of 
bees,  but  wanUi  the  courag.  >nd  magnanimity  of  the  King  Bird.  He 
arrives  in  Pennsylvn.ua  early  ,n  May,  and  builds  his  nest  in  a  hollow 
tree,  deserted  by  Uie  Blue-Bird  or  Woodpecker.  The  materials  of 
which  iJus  is  forrned  are  scanty,  and  rnther  novel.  One  of  these  nests, 
now  beforf  me,  is  formed  of  a  little  loose  hay,  featliers  of  the  Guinea 
fowl,  hogs  histles,  pieces  of  cast  snake  skins,  and  dogs'  hair.  Snake 
skins  with  tiiH  bird  appear  t    be  an  indispensable  article,  for  I  have 

"rf#^»S""  •  °u®  °*'  '''  '  '^  '^"•^o"*  ^""^  material  forming  a  part 
"  It*  Wheti..;,  he  sun  ., in  i  his  nest  with  this  by  way  of  tenonm, 
lu  ,.revent  other  birds  or  unimals  from  entering,  or  whether  it  be  that 
he  hnds  Its  silky  ■  .ness  suitable  for  his  young,  is  uncertain ;  the  fact, 
however,  is  not.  ouo.  T  n  femnle  lays  four  eggs,  of  a  dull  cream 
color,  thickly       itched  purj      lines  of  various  tints  as  if  done 

with  a  pen. 

This  species  is  eight  incu.  .s  an-  a  halllong,  and  thirteen  inches  in 
extent;  the  upper  parts  are  of  a  u  '<  greenish  olive;  the  feathers  on 
the  head  are  pom  'd,  centred  with  dark  brown,  ragged  at  the  sides, 
nd  form  a  nd  of  blowzy  crest;  the  tliroat,  and  upper  parts  of  the 
tjreast,  delicate  ash ;  rest  of  the  lower  parts,  i  sulphur  yellow  •  the 
wing-coverts  are  palo  drab,  cross r,d  with  two  h  of  dull  white  '  the 
prinianes  are  .,f  a  bright  ferruginous,  or  sonui  color;  the  tail  is 
shirhtly  forked,  its  interior  vanes  of  the  same  briufit  ferruginous  as 
the  primaries;  the  bill  is  blackish,  very  much  liko  that  of  the  King 
Bird  furnished  also  with  bristles ;  the  eyr  is  ha/nl ;  logs  and  feet 
bluish  black  The  femalecan  scarcely  be  d.^tinguishe.!.  by  its  colors^ 
irom  the  male.  ■'  ^ 


*  As  I  have  mentioned  at  p.-.-e  9'f.  O.is  fonns  tlie  li.m.o  ,  ,  die  nests  of  other 
birds  als-  ;  and,  as  the  number  of  snak.    h  considerable  in  those  unruitivated  nnd 


Woody  I'rilliilr 

ally  supposed 


,  t!;t  -r  i-aslisgg  may 
Eo. 


~i  a  more     ^quu:;-  riubstitutc  ;han  is 


I 


gen 


•l  •* 


I 


ii 


148 


SMALL  i  REEN-CRK8TED  FLYCATCHER. 


This  bird  also  foods  on  berries  towards  the  t-nd  of  sununor,  partJCii- 
larly  on  hucklo-berrioM,  whicb,  during  the  time  tliey  hist,  scorn  to  form 
Uio  chief  Bustonancc  of  the  youni(  birds.  I  have  observed  tins  speciea 
nere  as  late  as  the  lOth  of  September ;  rarely  later.  They  do  not,  to 
my  knowledge,  winter  in  any  of  tl»e  Southern  SUteu. 


SMALL  GREEN-CRESTED   FLYCATCHER" - MUSCICAPA 
QUERULA.  —  Fio.  55. 

Mu«cicapa  subviridin,  Bartram,  p.  -Z»X  —  Arct.  Zool.  p.  386,  No.  268.  —  PtaU't 

Mus'    'n,  No.  68^. 

TYRJiJ^M'UlJi  ACADJCA.  —  &1I hiKton. 

Muscioapa  acadica,  Jionap.  8ynop.  p.  68. 

This  bird  is  but  little  known.  It  inhabits  the  deepest,  tliick-shaded, 
Bolitary  parts  of  the  woods,  sits  generally  on  the  lownr  branches, 
otters,  every  half  minute  or  so,  a  sudden,  shari)  squeak,  which  is  heard 

*  This  ipeiies,  with  tlio  iwo  following  of  our  iimlior,  have  been  scparnlcil  from 
the  'r-vrants,  mid  placed  in  a  sub-genus,  Tyr,.,mula.  They  ure  however,  ni 
reiihi>  little  'Piirants.mM  agree  in  their  habils,  us  tur  as  Ihcir  smaller  m/o  an.! 
weaker  powers  enable  llicm.  Their  food  is  nearly  the  same,  more  conhn.  I,  how- 
ever, to  insects,  sufticicnl  power  being  wunling  lo  overcome  any  slrongii  I'rey. 
Tvrannula  will  contain  a  great  many  species  moat  closely  allied  to  each  other  lu 
form,  size,  and  color  ;  so  much  so,  that  it  is  nearly  impossible  to  distiiisn.sh  them, 
wiUioul  a  comparison  of  many  together.  When  they  are  carefully  aiial^  d,  they 
seem  disUnct,  and,  the  characters  being  constant,  are  also  ol  sufticient  spec. he  im- 
Dortance.  'I'hey  are  natives  of  both  North  and  South  Amenca  aiid  the  adjacent 
islands:  the  North  American  known  species  are,— those  descnbcd  by  our  author, 
which  will  be  found  in  another  part  of  ihis  volume,  one  or  two  figured  by  iSona- 
parte,  with  two  new  species  discoverc.l  in  the  course  of  the  last  over-land  arctic 
expedition,  and  describetl  by  Mr.  Swaiiison  in  the  second  volume  of  the  Northern 
Zooloiry.  South  America,  however,  possesses  the  great  host  of  species,  where  we 
may  yet  expect  many  novelties.  The  extent  and  the  closely-allied  features  of  the 
eroup  render  diem  mosidilViciilt  of  distinction.*  j  ,i,„  u„„. 

Both  this  form  and  the  Tvrauts  are  confined  to  the  New  World,  and  the  latter 
mavbesaid  to  represent  the  gi<it  mass  of  our  Flycatchers. 

The  new  specie.s  describeil  by  Mr.  Swainson  are,  Tyranntdapusilla,  fw.,  very 
closely  allied  to  Muscicapa  quemla  of  Wilson,  but  satisfactorily  proved  distinct: 
the  wmgs  arc  much  shorter,  somewhat  rounded,  and  the  comparative  proportion  ol 
the  quiffs  diflcr  -,  the  colors,  however,  nearly  agree  :  the  species  brought  home  by 
the  Expedition  was  killed  at  Carlton  House  In  53°  N.  lat.,  and  it  exlenas  soiithwan 
to  Mexico.—  7'.  Ricliardsomi,  closolv  resembling  T./mca;  it  differs  m  the  lorn, 
of  the  bill,  and  size  of  the  feet ;  thr  .rest  is  thick  and  lengthened  ;  the  upper  p  umage 
is  more  ofive,  while  the  under  has  an  olive  whitish  tint;  the  tail  is  more  forked  .  .» 
was  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  Cumberland  House,  frequenting  moist,  shaoy 
woods  by  the  banks  of  rivers  and  lakes.  ,    ,    ,.  •.  ,    r»    -r     i    .r 

Mr.  Audubon  also  figures  a  species  as  new,  and  dedicates  it  to  Ur.  1  rai  ,  ol 
Liverpool ;  but,  as  I  have  remarked  before,  it  is  impossible  to  decide  Iron,  a  plate, 

•  It  may  be  here  remarked  that  the  Prince  of  Muslgnano,  in  hii  Synopn*,  evidently 
i-es  this  fcrm  m  a  ■ub-geuua,  though  he  hu  not  charactoriied  It.—  bo. 


PEWIT  FLYCATCHER. 


149 


a  conBidomblo  way  through  the  woods;  und,  ua  it  flics  from  one  tree 
to  anothiir,  Iiiis  a  low,  queruloiiH  note,  aoiuotliing  like  tho  twitteringH 
of  ChickcnH  nci^tling  under  the  wingM  of  the  Uvn.  On  alighting,  thia 
Hound  ceaseH,  and  it  uttora  its  not<!  iis  before.  It  arrives  from  tho 
Boutli  about  tho  middle  of  May ;  builds  on  tho  upper  side  of  a  liuib, 
in  a  IfMV,  swampy  part  of  tlio  woods,  and  liiys  five  white  eggs.  It 
leaves  lis  about  tho  beginning  of  Heptembor.  It  is  a  rare  ami  very 
Bolitary  bird,  always  haunting  the  most  gloomy,  moist,  and  unfre- 
quouted  parts  of  tho  forest  It  feeds  on  flying  insects,  dnvours  bees, 
and,  in  tho  season  of  hucklo-borries,  they  form  the  chief  part  of  its 
food.    Its  nortJiern  migrations  extend  as  far  as  Newfoundland. 

Tlii'  length  of  tliis  species  is  five  inchorf  and  a  half;  breadth,  nine 
inches ;  tho  upper  parts  are  of  a  green  olive  color,  the  lower,  pale 
greenish  yellow,  darkest  on  tho  breast ;  the  wings  are  deep  brown, 
crossed  with  two  bars  of  yellowish  white,  and  a  ring  of  tne  same 
surrmnds  tho  eye,  which  is  hazel.    The  tail  is  rounded  at  tlie  en«i ; 

■   My  - 
color  below;  legs  and 
the  male  in  color. 


tlio  bill  is  remarkably  flat  and  broad,  dark  brown  above,  and  flesh 
feet,  pale  asli.    Tlio  female  differs  littie  from 


m^ 


PEWIT  FLYCATCHER.  — MUSCICAPA  NUNCIOLA.  -  Fio.  56. 

Bartram,  p.  289.  —  Blac  ap  Flycatcher,  Lath.  Sim.  ii.  363  —  Phcebe  Flycatcher, 
Id.  Sup.  p.  173.  —  '.J  Gobe-mouche  noirfctre  de  la  Caroline,  ^u^.  iv.  Ml.— 
Arct.  Zool.  p.  387,  No.  269.  —  Peo/e's  Museum,  No.  6618. 

TYRAffyUUi  FI^SCj*.— Ja«dii»e. 
Muscicapa  fusca,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  68. 

This  well-known  bird  is  one  of  our  earliest  spring  visitants,  arriving 
in  PeiiiiHylvama  about  the  first  week  in  March,  and  continuing  with 
us  until  October.  I  have  seen  them  here  as  late  as  the  12th  of  No- 
vember. In  the  month  of  February,  I  overtook  tlicse  birds  lingering 
in  the  low,  swampy  woods  of  North  and  South  Carolina.  They  were 
feeding  on  smilax  berries,  and  chanting,  occasionally,  their  simple 
notes.  The  favorite  resort  of  this  bird  is  by  streams  of  water,  under 
or  near  bridges,  in  caves,  &c.  Near  such  places  he  sits  on  a  nroject- 
ing  twig,  calling  oni,  pe-wie,  pt-ioittitet  pe-wie,  for  a  who'-  loorning; 
darting  after  insects,  and  returning  to  the  same  twig ;  .requently  flirt- 
ing his  tail,  like  the  Wagtail,  though  not  so  rapidly.  Ho  begins  to 
butld  about  the  20th  or  25th  of  March,  on  some  projecting  part  under 
a  bridge,  in  a  cave,  in  an  open  well,  five  or  iix  feet  down  among  the 
interstices  of  the  side  walls,  often  under  a  shed,  in  the  low  eaves  of  a 


however  accurate.     Ttfranmda  Trailii  will  come  nearest  u.  the  Wood  Pewee,  but 
differs  as  well  in  some  parts  of  the  plumage  as  in  the  habits.    It  is  found  in  the 

"id* ' 


ISO 


PEWIT  FLYCATCHIR. 


!    '' 


cottage,  and  such  like  places.*  The  outside  is  comoosed  of  mud, 
mixeS  with  moss,  is  generally  large  and  solid,  and  lined  ^'th  Aaxjnd 
horse  hair.  The  eggs  axe  five,  pure  white,  with  two  or  three  dots  of 
reTnear  the  great  end.    I   have  known  them  rear  three  broods  m 

""in  Tparticular  part  of  Mr.  Bartram's  woods,  with  which  I  a.m  ac- 
nuainted,  by  the  side  of  a  small  stream,  in  a  cave,  five  or  six  feet  high, 
formed  by  the  undermining  of  the  water  below,  and  the  projecUon  of 
two  large  rocks  above, — 

There  down  smooth,  glistening  rocks  the  riwlet  pours, 

Till  in  a  pool  its  silent  waters  sleep, 
A  dark-browed  cliff,  o'ertopped  with  fern  and  flowers. 

Hangs,  grimly  lowering,  o'er  the  glassy  deep  ; 
Above  through  "every  rhink  the  woodbines  creep, 

And  smooth-barked  beeches  spread  their  arms  around, 
Whose  roots  cling  twisted  round  the  rocky  steep ; 

A  more  sequestered  scene  is  no  where  found. 

For  contemplation  deep,  and  silent  thought  profound;  — 

in  this  cave  I  knew  the  Pewit  to  build  for  several  years.  The  place 
was  solitary,  and  he  was  seldom  disturbed.  In  the  month  of  April, 
one  fatal  Saturday,  a  party  of  boys  from  the  city,  armed  with  guns, 
dealing  indiscriminate  destruction  among  the  feathered  tribes  around 
them, ''directed  their  murderous  course  tliis  way,  and,  within  my 
hearing,  destroyed  both  parents  of  this  old  and  peaceful  settlement 
For  two  successive  years,  and,  I  believe,  to  this  day,  there  has  been 
no  Pewee  seen  about  this  place.  This  circumstance  almost  con- 
vinces me  that  birds,  in  many  instances,  return  to  the  same  spots  to 
breed ;  and  who  ktiows,  but,  like  the  savage  nations  of  Indians,  they 
may  usurp  a  kind  of  exclusive  right  of  tenure  to  particular  districts, 
where  tliey  themselves  have  been  reared  ?  . 

The  notes  of  the  Pewee,  like  those  of  the  Blue-Bird,  are  pleasing, 
not  for  any  melody  they  contain,  but  from  ■<-.  ideas  of  spring  and  re- 
tuminn-  verdure,  with  all  the  sweets  of  this  lovely  season,  which  are 
associated  witli  his  simple  but  lively  ditty.  Towards  the  middle  of 
June,  he  becomes  nearly  silent;  and  late  in  the  fall  gives  us  a  tew 
fare^fell  and  melancholy  repetitions,  that  recall  past  imagery,  and 
make  the  decayed  and  withered  face  of  nature  appear  still  more  mel- 

^The  Pewit  is  six  inches  and  a  half  in  length,  and  nine  and  a  half 
broad ;  the  upper  parts  are  of  a  dark  dusky  olive  ;  the  plumage  of  the 

•  The  n-r'ncral  mRunnrs  of  liiis  sppcios,  and  indeed  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
smallor  'K  •""lo'.,  bear  a  considerable  resemblance  to  those  of  the  t.omn'on 
Spotted  FIvcaiei.v.  of  this  country,  which  the  dilatation  at  the  base  of  the  bill  and 
the  color  of  the  plumage  r<  iidor  still  greater.  The  peculiar  droop  of  the  tail,  and 
occasional  rise  and  depression  of  the  feathers  on  the  crown,  which  are  somewhat 
elongated  — the  motionless  i)erch  on  some  bare  branch  — the  impatient  call  — 
the  motion  of  tho  tail -and  the  sudden  datt  al>.«r  some  insect,  and  return  to  the 
same  spot  — aro  all  close  resemblances  lo  the  manners  delineated  by  our  aiihor ; 
and  the.  resort  by  streams,  bridges,  or  caves,  with  the  manner  and  place  of  building 
—  even  the  color  of  the  eggs  —are  not  to  l.o  mistaken.  In  one  instance  our  Hy- 
calclier  and  the  Tyrannuhv  .lisagrce  ;  the  former  posses.,  no  pleasir.g  notes;  lU 
only  cries  are  a  single,  rather  harsh  and  monotonous  click  -tid  a  shnll  peep  I!M 
•ong  of  the  TyranmdcB  u  "  simple,"  but  "  lively."  — Ed. 


WOOD  PEWEE  FLYCATCHER. 


?m 


head,  like  that  of  the  two  preceding,  is  loose,  subcrested,  and  of  a 
deep  brownish  black  ;  wings  and  tail,  deep  dusky  ;  tlie  former  edjred, 
on  every  feather,  with  yellowish  white,  the  latter  forked,  and  widening 
remurkably  towards  the  end ;  bill,  formed  exactly  like  that  of  the  King 
Bird ;  whole  lower  parts,  a  pale,  delicate  yellow  ;  legs  and  bill,  wholly 
black ;  iris,  hazel.  The  female  is  almost  exactly  like  the  male,  except 
in  having  the  crest  somewhat  more  brown.  This  species  inhabits 
from  Canada  to  Florida ;  great  numbers  of  them  usually  wintering  in 
the  two  Caroiinas  and  Georgia.  In  New  York  they  are  called  "the 
Phoeby  Bird,  and  are  accused  of  destroying  bees.  With  many  people 
in  the  country,  the  arrival  of  the  Pewee  serves  as  a  sort  of  almanac, 
reminding  them  that  now  it  is  time  such  and  such  work  should  be 
done.  "  Whenever  the  Pewit  appears,"  says  Mr.  Bartram,  "  we  may 
plant  peas  and  beans  in  the  open  grounds,  French  beans,  sow  radishes, 
onions,  and  almost  every  kind  of  esculent  garden  seeds,  without  fear 
or  danger  from  frosts ;  for,  although  we  have  sometimes  frosts  after 
their  first  appearance  for  a  night  or  two,  yet  not  so  severe  a«  to  injure 
the  young  plants."  • 


WOOD    PEWEE    FLYCATCHER. - 

Fig.  57. 


MUSCICAPA    RAPAX.— 


Muscicapa  virens,  Linn.  Syst.  3^.  — Lath.  Stm  li.  350.  Id.  Sup.  p.  174,  No. 
82, —  Caiesi.  i.  54,  fig.  1.  — Le  Gobe-mouche  brun  de  la  Caroliiic,  Bu'/F.  iv. 
643.  —  Muscicapa  acadica,  Gmel.  Syst.  i.  p.  947.  —  Arct.  Zool.  387  No 
270. -Pe«/e's  irtweam,  No.  6660.  oo/,   «o. 

TTRJlJVXUT^    F/BEJVS.  — Jardihb. 

Muscicapa  virens,  Linn.  Syst.'—Bonap.  Synop.  p.  68. 

I  HAVE  given  the  name  Wood  Pew^e  to  this  species,  lo  discrim- 
inate it  from  the  preceding,  wliich  it  resembles  so  much  in  form  and 
plumage  as  scarcely  to  be  distinguished  from  it,  but  by  an  accurate 
examination  of  both.  Yet  in  manners,  mode  of  building,  period  of 
migration,  and  notes,  the  two  species  differ  ji^reatly.  The  Pew^e  is 
among  the  first  birds  that  visit  us  in  spring,  frequenting  creeks,  b"ild- 
ing  in  caves,  and  under  arches  of  bridges ;  the  Wood  Pewe.e,  the 
subject  of  our  present  account,  is  among  the  latest  of  our  summer 
birds,  seldom  arriving  before  the  12th  or  IStli  of  May ;  frequenting  the 
shadiest  high-timbered  woods,  where  there  is  little  underwood,  and 
abundance  of  dead  twigs  and  branches  shooting  across  the  gloom ; 
generally  in  low  situations  ;  builds  its  nest  on  theuppcr  side  of  a  limb 
or  branch,  forming  it  outwardly  of  moss,  but  using  no  mud,  and  lining 
it  with  various  soft  materials.  The  female  lays  five  white  eggs  ;  and 
the  first  brood  leave  the  nest  about  the  middle  of  June. 

This  species  is  an  exceeding  expert  fly-catcher.    It  'oves  to  ait  on 

•  TraveU,  p.  28« 


Il 


163 


FERRUGINOUS  THRUSH. 


(he  high  dead  branches,  amid  the  gloom  of  the  woods,  calhng  out  in 
a  fe.^fle,  plaintive  tone,  peto  way,  peto  way,  pee  way;  occasionally 
darting  after  insects ;  sometimes  making  a  circular  sweep  of  thirty  or 
forty  yards,  snapping  up  numbers  in  its  way  with  great  adroitness ;  and 
Xrning  o  itT  petition  and  chant  as  before.  In  the  latter  part  of 
Aurrust,  its  notes  are  almost  the  only  ones  to  be  heard  in  the  woods ; 
about  ;hich  time,  also,  it  even  approaches  the  «ity,  where  I  have 
frequently  observed  it  busily  engaged  under  trees,  in  solitary  courts 
gardens,  &c.,  feedi  ug  and  training  its  young  to  their  profession  About 
3ie  middle  of  September,  it  retires  to  the  south,  a  full  month  before 

*^Lenath,  six  inches;  breadth,  ten;  back  dusky  olive  inclining  tc 
greenish;  head,  subcrestcd,  and  brownish  black;  tail,  forked,  and 
widenin<r  towards  the  tips;  lower  parts,  pale  yellowish  winte.  Ihe 
only  discriminating  marks  between  this  and  the  preceding  are  the 
size  and  the  color  of  the  lower  mandible,  which  lu  this  .is  yellow, 
in  the  Pew^e  black.    The  female  is  difficult  to  be  distinguished  from 

This  species  is  far  more  numerous  than  tho  preceding,  and,  probably, 
winters  much  farther  south.  The  Pew^e  was  numerous  in  North  and 
sJurCarolina  in  February;  but  the  Wood  Pew^e  had  not  made  its 
appearance  in  the  lower  parts  of  Georgia,  even  so  late  as  the  Ifath  ot 
Maxell. 


FERRUGINOUS    THRUSH.* -TURDUS    RUFUS.-Fio.  58. 

Fox-colored  Thrush,  Catesh.  i.28.-Turdus  rufus,  Unn.  Syst.  293.-^«</'-iii:39. 
-La  Grivc  dc  la  Caroline,  Briss.  ii.  223  -Le  Moquer  Franvois,  DeDuf^. 
^  PL  eni.  645.-Arct.  Zool.  p.  335,  No.  195.  -  Peak's  Museum,  No.  5286. 

ORPHEUS    RUFi/S. —SytAi!fiot<. 

Turdu.  rafiis,  Bonap.  Sy^op.  ,,.  75.  -  Orp.ha>us  rufus,  Fox-colored  Mo.k  Bird, 

North.  Zool.  II.  p.  190. 

This  is  the  Brown  Thrush,  or  Thrasher,  of  the  Middle  and  Eastern 
States,  and  the  French  Mocking  Bird  of  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  the 

•  This  spocirs,  with  O.  polyghtlos,  is  the  typical  form  of  Mr.  Swainson's  geiiiis 
Ort,luZ^ffenU  from  WrTlus  in  its  longer  form,  chiefly  apparent  from  the 
SerTonJh  o  .1  tail,  its  rounded  and  sho'rter  win^s,  its  lone?  and  hcndmg  m.d 
rproporlim,  more  slender  i.ill.  The  form  is^confincJ  to  the  .^^^^  ^o  d  mu.  v  I 
bP  VcDresenled  in  Africa  i)y  rroU.-,opus  and  DomcotniLS.  Swam.  ;  and  in  Asia  aiul 
AusXlirby /W  r^^^^^^^  Horsf."^  They  appear  to  live  nearer  the  ground  than 
S^tmc  &she^"  frequenting  the  lower' brushwood ;  and  U  is  only  during  the 
.pring  and  breedh'tg  season  that  they  mount  aloft,  to  serenade  dieir  mates  Fhe 
Sm  or  notes  are  eeneraliy  loud  ;  some  iK.ssess  considerable  melody,  wh.ch,  how- 
ev^  is  only  exercf^d  L  a^bove  menlione'd  ;  ..,„  mar.y  of  the  aberrant  sproics  pos- 
Ls»  only  harsh  and  grating  notes,  inressfvnlty  kept  up ;  m  which  respect  they 
^Sl  the  more  typical  Xfrican  form  and  many  of  the  aoualic  Warblers 
^n  the  account  given  by  our  author  of  the  minncrs  of  O  m/us,yfe  perceive  a 
Jjlse  resembCe  lo^u:  Common  WackW  d     The  Blackbird  ts  seldom  .een 


•JSBBBS*^.;-  fi*iiri 


^&^:- 


FERRUGINOUS  THRUSH. 


153 

arrives  in  Pennsylvania   anH  fi-nm  fi^P        r       »■    ^'^^  blossom,  he 
fras,  apple  or  chSry-tre^^^^^^^  °^  our  hed-re-rows,  sassa- 

char.r„^son,,wJK7o'utX^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

serene  hour,  you  may  plainly  distinguish  his  vo  4  fuHv  h;ift\  mi 

resemblance  to  the  \'otes  oTthe  S I^tT"  I  ?^  considerable 

Britain.  Early  in  Mav  he  h ni M^  IW^"  T  'u^^  (Tvrdus  musicus)  of 
cedar,  thicket  ^bS  cLwooH     1?''*'  ''''"'f  "^  ''  *^°^"  ^"^f>'  '«^ 

situation,  .-nerillyTwt|.i^S'fe7  f  a  "^^^^^^^^  O  r^^^*""''-  ''' 
constructed  of  small  sticks  •  then  hvLl  %^i  ,  ^"^^^"'^ly.  it  is 
lined  with  fine,  fibrou.  roots  but  wZf  '^T  '''^^^''  ""'''  ^«^tly, 
five,  thickly  sprinK,r.rhVruli2  1T„{  ^^'^''''  '^'^^  "^^^""^  ^'« 
ground.  They  generally  Lve  tin  h'nF'  ""  '^  """"'y  P^'°  ""^^^ 
that  build  near  the  Sd    ho  «h^  '"  f  '''^'""-     ^"^^  ^"  ^^'^'^^ 

with  them,  are  sure  to  suffer      He    s  .Vpn^.T  I  ""  '"'''  '"*^^t 

scratchincr  up  the  hills  nf  rnWinn„  '^-^ccised,  by  some  people,  of 
partly  true :  but  for  evly  Vr^?'^"/"™' '"  P'^^"!''"^  t"«e ;  this  ma^  be 
Ltr^oys  five  il?redTnJo?™7art?cXlv?l'''"' r^  persuaded'he 
with  /  black  head,  which  S  £e  pe'mVou  Tth  '''^""'°''^^  ^™'^' 
gi^m  and  vegetables,  than  nine "LSis  o  '  ,"  Ihob  S^^  '^''' 
He  IS  an  active,  vigorous  bird,  flies  jr^neml  v  In^v  f  ^^'^thered  race, 
another,  with  his  Ion..,  broad  tail  sDrf;dlik?.  f  '  ^'^°™  ""^  thicket  to 
brier  and  bramble  busheTaTonrw^^^^^^^^ 

chuck,  when  you  approach  h?  ner  Tnll  ?  ''"^"'^  "'^^e  or 
numerous,  but  never  flyin  flocks  AbouJ  fhl  ""2^*"?'  '^^>  "^'^ 
or  as  soon  as  they  hav^  we  1  recovere  1  fr     "'^'^^le  of  September, 

they  suffer  severely,  the/disappe.rrrthpil«"  T"'"""'  ^"  ^^^ch 
the  southern  parts^'of  VirSr;nd  ^ot?h  «Tf  ^"  P«^^«'"?  through 
depth  of  winter,  I  found  tC  1  n.erin"  in  ll  !h  ''' P^.''S^^>  in  the 
ticu,ar,y  on  the  border  of  swa^m;^3"iJ^.'^''^[h1  fiSTK; 

a  rife^Tr  it'a^rirrLtsin^^        'v  -->■  or 

season,  lis  only  note  is  that  of  alarm   shHnrd  m„lV  t' 'T';  ""'''^'^  «' "»« 

manner  ofaUt,  wl.en  raised  from  ooicr  a  on^  a  &  ""'  "  •""''  "  '"''"'•'■•  '''<•« 
ln,l  cxpande.?,  is  also  similar ;  we  have^ms  tv  (f  u3  f  °'  """""^  ^"*''«'*'  *'"'  '^e 
varyin,^  deodedly  i„  form,  ,/ut  agrcdng  Im^;  c^.fircl v  i:':'?al'':r  ^rf'''''''  ^'""'^"• 
111". lies,  apm,  possess  nucii  more  acHvi  v  "  h^^l^f,  /'"' ff'f  S:arious 

con:|try,  and  protect  themselves  i,v  viei'a.K  •    „    'l  .   ?  '  u""1"'  "'   ""-•  "P*"" 

This  species  v.-as  met  bv  Dr.  Ricba  d  o       '     ■      '      m'"'  »'='' '•""'•-■almcnt 

Pennsylvania  to  the  Saskatchewan    but  Dr  ^V.,  .**  J^"      ""''••■.    "  "^^"''•"^^  ^om 

<loes  not  extend  its  ran^e  )^'ihe5S^^':^'''^'''^l^r',  "  ^ ^able  that  it 

...n.unes  w.d,  th.  othei^i^rl^y  r^^trii^i^s:^^!"^^^  ^""«  '»•«  Fu. 

see  p.  ! ..-.  u.r  .i,c  .suDnosed  or,gin  of  thi's  neme! 


'.'    VA 


164 


FERRUGINOUS   THRUSH. 


thev  were  in  full  sonff  round  the  commons  at  Savannah,  as  if  straining 
to  I-iMrTo  the  Mnckincr  Bird,  that  prince  of  feathered  musicians 

T  f 'rLasL^is  awelconio  visitant  in  spring,  to  every  lover  of  ru. 
ral  siencrv  and  ural  son..  Ir  the  months  of  April  and  May,  when 
rai  scenery  iiiiu  lum         -,      ,         ^  cherrv-trees,  are  one  profusion 

TlZ:  L  .  Rn;:r;y    t>^"'aiS  S        th.  sweet  sLr-tions 

of     r   rhoa  eXabundince  is,  as  it  were,  .ho.^ring  --ou..;-  us 

Sl^|;kS/Lrthea.inun.on^ 

this  excel  out    .rd-^;  e    Me..   '  J^s  "f      ^^^^  ^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^^  ^^ 

nlT    ?h"     n    n  b  SiVX,  amids't  .  .ch  scenes,  and  in  such^.ea.ons 

*:"    Surt    "e  fe  in  "s  a'rde'^^^^^      thatUte,  which  neither  the 
charms  or„!:;u;Vnor  the 'melody  of  innocence,  nor  the  voice  of  grat- 

''th^"!^'mh:;bS;'^o"h'Amorica,irom  Canada  to  the  pdntof  Flor- 

idZ    'IM  ey  a  '  ea'ly  reared,  and  become  very  familiar  when  kept  in 
Ida.      i  ney  ^r  j.      j  ^  j^^^^  ^^^^,^  ^  few  in- 

S";  wll.?tfy  s  n^nconLm  as  nnich  energy  as  in 

tfeir  na  We  vo  iT   Thny  ou.ht  frequently  to  have  earth  and  gravel 
Sr^n  in  to  them,  and  have  plenty  of  water  to  bathe  n 
The  Ferrugmous  T^-^  ,.  c  evx.^^^^^^^^^^ 

S'crse  \  ith  bafs':;-  !S,  relieved  wfth  bjack ;  tips  and 

^nlr  vanes  of  the  win-.,  dusky ;  tail,  very  long,  rounded  at  the  end, 
S-^d  and  of  tl  e  same^reddiBirUown  as  the  back;  whole  lojver  parte, 
veHowiTh  white  •  the  breast,  and  sides  under  the  wmgs  beautiMly 
marS  wilh  Ion-,  pointed  spots  of  black,  running  in  chains;  dun, 
white  bTllverylong  and  stout,  not  notched,  the  upper  mandible  over- 
h^n'n-e  lower  a^'little,  and  besot  with  strong  bristles  at  tl>e  ba^e, 
hffi^if,ove  and  whitish  bdo w,  near  the  base ;  legs,  remarkably  strong, 

r>cLic  very  "v  ne  and  docile.     I  irequently  let  Inm  out  o    his  cage  to 

tod    it  Re  ro.o,vo,fof  pii^on  ];*«/,? '7;;w,»;;j*-^^ 

v.rpv     When  in  his  cag*-,  being  very  fond  of  dry  crusts  nt  nreau,  ii, 
S  Jn  'rS  tTe  CO  n--rs  Sf  the  crumbs  were  too  hard  and  sharp  for  his 
Toat^^he  would  throw  thorn  up,  carry,  and  put  them  in  his  ^vater  d  sh 
Tl^:-,  then  take  them  out^..d^swdU>wU^^^^^^^^^ 
markttUie  eircuiDsiaiiuca  nugnwv  ..^ 


G(.).  DEN-CROWNED   THRUSH  155 

Btrate  faculties  of  mind;  not  only  innate,  but  acquired  ideas  rdpriv«^ 

arrange  and  apply  them  in  a  rational  mar.ner,  accoS  to  cire^' 

llflV  f  fr'  ""'''•  ^''\^  ^^"^'^t  hhn!  Here  the  SraTrce  Jed  hr" 
the  effect,  the  cause  and  then  took  tlie  quickest,  the  m^ost  effectuaf 
and  agreeable  method  to  remove  that  cause.  What  coTd  the  wtS 
.nan  have  done  better?  Call  it  reason,  or  instinct,  it  is  he  same  th2 
'  ^^f^^""  T""  '"""''^  ''^^«  •^one  in  this  case.  ^"^ 

wasifs  He  founTh!"'""""""'  ''^"!  ^"^^^""^'l  ^^'^h  respect  to  the 
wasps,     tie  tound,  by  experience  and  observation  th-.t  /ha  flrcf  k 

attempted  to  swallow  iart  his  throat,  and  gS^exre^^ 
upon  examination,  observed  that  the  extremity  of  the  abdomen  ll' 
armed  with  a  poisonous  sting ;  and,  after  this  dLovery,  neverTenT 
ed  to  swallow  a  wasp  until  he  first  pinched  his  .bdomen  S  the  ex 
tremity,  forcing  out  the  sting,  with  the  receptacle  of  po™son." 

It  IS  certainly  a  circumstance  highly  honorable  to  tlie  character  of 

Ke\aidthrn.''r''''  ?^'^'  ^''•^^°'"°  ^^"timents,  that  those  ^h^ 
fhJir^^  f  niost  minute  attention  to  their  manned,  are  uniformly 
their  advocates  and  admirers.  "He  must,"  said  a  gentleman  to  me 
Je  other  day  when  speaking  of  another  person, ""  he  must  be  a 
good  man ;  for  those  who  have  long  known  him,  and  are  moS  intimate 
witli  him,  respect  h.m  greatly,  and  always  speak  well  of  E  "        *^ 


GOLDEN-CttOWNED  THRUSH.*  _TURL»US 
A  UROCAPILI.US.  —  Fig  .  59. 

de  S  .  Domingue,  Buff.  ,ii.  317.  PI.  enl.  m.-Arct.  Zool   p.  o3^\^  m -t 

3EIURUS  AVROCJiPILLUS.  -  Swains,.:, 
Sylvia  aurocapilla,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  77.  -  SeiOrus  aurooapillus.  North.  Zoo/,  ii.  227. 

Thocgh  the  epithet  Golden-crotvned  is  not  very  suitable  for  this 
bird,  that  part  of  the  head  being  rather  of  a  brownish  range,  yet,  to 
avoid  confusion,  I  have  retained  it  ^     ^^ 

*   TW'S  curiou.s  specie*,  with  the  «.  aquaticus.  No.  109,  and  some  others    Hit' 

reus  and  in  form  and  structure  to  some  of  the  Wartilers     The  mannprs  of  « 

atiuattcus.  asrain.  res«mhl<.  m««  .i^=«  „<•  .u.  «.-"?  >  "^'?-  .  ■"?  manners  o»  ». 

-~~^  •■'  ""^  "•  3s;tni:3 ;  oui  It  nas  soiiiew&ai  of 


r  ii 


156 


GOLDEN-CROWNED  THRUSH. 


This  18  also  a  migratory  species,  arriving  m  Pennsylvania  late  in 
April,  and  leaving  ua  again  late  in  September.    It  is  altogether  an 
inhabitant  of  the  woods,  runs  along  the  ground  like  a  lark,  and  even 
along  the  horizontal  branches,  frequently  moving  its  tail  in  the  man- 
ner of  the  Wagtails.    It  has  no  song,  but  a  shrill,  energetic  twitter, 
formed  by  the  rapid  reiteration  of  two  notes,  pech£,  ptcU,  peche,  for  a 
quarter  of  a  minute  at  a  time.     It  builds  a  snug,  somewhat  singular 
nest,  on  the  ground,  in  tlie  woods,  generally  on  a  declivity  facing  the 
south.     This  is  formed  of  leaves  and  dry  grass,  and  lined  with  hair. 
Though  sunk  below  tiie  surface,  it  is  arched  over,  and  only  a  small 
liole  left  for  entrance:   the  eggs  are  four,  sometimes  five,  white, 
irregularly  spotted  with  reddish  brown,  chiefly  near  the  great  ond 
When  alarmed,  it  escapes   from   the   nest  with  great  silence  and 
rapidity,  running  along  the  ground  like  a  mouse,  as  if  afraid  to  tread 
too  heavily  on  the  leaves ;   if  you  stop  to  examine  its  nest,  it  also 
stops,  droops  its  wings,  flutters,  and  tumbles  along,  as  if  hardly  able 
to  crawl,  looking  back  now  and  then  to  see  whether  you  are  taking 
notice  of  it.    If  you  slowlv  follow,  it  leads  you  fifty  or  sixty  yards  off, 
in  a  direct  line  from  its  nest,  seeming  at  every  advance  to  be  gaining 
fresh  strength ;   and  when  it  thinks  it  has  decoyed  you  to  a  sufiicieiit 
distance,  it  suddenly  wlieels  off  and  disappears.    This  kind  of  decep- 
tion is  practised  by  many  other  species  of  birds  that  build  on  the 
ground ;   and  is  sometimes  so  adroitly  performed,  as  actually  to  have 
the  desired  eflfect  of  securing  the  safety  of  its  nest  and  young. 

This  is  one  of  those  birds  frequently  selected  by  the  Cow-Pen 
Bunting  to  be  the  foster  parent  of  its  young.  Into  the  nest  of  this 
bird  the  Cow  Bird  deposits  its  egg,  and  leaves  the  result  to  the  meroy 
and  management  of  the  Tlirush,  who  generally  performs  tlie  part  of  a 
faithful  and  affectionate  nurse  to  the  foundling. 

The  Golden-crowned  Thrush  is  six  inches  long,  and  nine  in  extent ; 
tlie  whole  upper  parts,  except  tlic  crown  and  hind  head,  are  a  rich 
yellow  olive  ;  the  tips  of  tlie  wings,  and  inner  vanes  of  the  quills,  are 
dusky  brown ;  from  the  nostrils,  a  black  strip  pusses  to  the  hind  head 
on  each  side,  between  which  lies  a  bed  -.^f  brownish  orange  ;  the  sides 
of  the  neck  are  whitish ;  the  whole  lower  parts,  white,  except  the 
breast,  which  is  handsomely  marked  with  pointed  spots  of  black,  oi 
deep  brown,  as  in  thu  figure  ;  round  the  t-ye  is  a  narrow  nng  of  yel- 
lowish white;  legs,  pale  flesh  color  ;  bill,  dusky  above,  whjaish  below. 
The  female  has  the  orange  uii  Uie  crown  consuierabiy  paler. 

This  uird  might  witii  propriety  be  ram^^ed  w  ah  the  WitntaiLs,  its 
notes,  manners,  arod  hahit  ol  buihiing  im  the  grouEd  being  rtinular  to 
these.  It  usually  hatcbes  twice  in  the  reason  ;  reeds  on  smaJi  bugs 
and  the  larvce  of  insects,  which  it  chiefly  gathers  from  the  ground.  It 
is  verv  generally  diffused  over  the  United  Slates,  and  winters  in 
Jamaica,  Hispani'ola,  and  other  islands  of  tue  West  Indies. 

the  true  Thrusli  in  percning  high,  and  in  po»!ie*.«-nc  a  sweei  and  pensive  sonp. 
Wp  have,  therefore,  in  shape,  rotor,  and  some  t«  the  teaits.  an  allianee  lo  the 
"nTrushes,  while  the  ctilors  and  tbeir  distribution  aefree  i>mi\  with  MenUa  and  An- 
tha,  and  in  their  primipal  f^conom-v  a  combiii— ii»i  of  th»  Sylvian-",  anci  Motanl- 
Zona,  — altogether  a  most  mierea^  form;  whib  in  the  orwctwe  of  their  nest,  and 
the  coU)r  of  the  ejrgs,  they  agree  «tih  the  Wre»     Mr.  "^wataion  has  made  fiOM 

U  hU  imnus  Sa&fUS.  —  ^D. 


CAT  BIRD.  J57 


CAT  B1RD/-TURDUS  LIVIDUS.-Fig.  60. 

de  Virgn.e,  Buff:  iv^2.  _  Lucar  liviilus,  apice  i.i-fra,  The  Cat  Brrd,  or  Chicken 
Bird,  Bartram,  p.  290.  —  Peak's  Museum,  I<Io.  (il%.  '      ^''""''"^ 

ORPHEUS  PELiyOX.-SwKitiion. 
Turdus  felivox,  Bonap.  Sijnop.  p.  76. 

We  have  here  before  us  a  very  common  and  very  numerous 
species,  m  this  part  of  the  United  States  ;  and  one  as  -veil  known  to 
all  classes  of  people,  as  his  favorite  briera,  or  blackberry  bushes  In 
epringr  or  summer,  on  approaching  thickets  of  brambles,  the  first 
salutation  you  receive  is  from  the  Cat  Bird ;  and  a  stranger,  unac- 
quainted with  Its  note,  would  instantly  conclude  that  some  vagrant, 
orphan  kitten  had  got  bewildered  among  the  briers,  and  wanted 
assistance  ;  so  exactly  does  the  call  of  the  bird  resemble  the  voice  of 
that  animal.  Unsuspicious,  and  extremely  familiar,  he  seems  less 
apprehensive  ot  man  than  almost  any  other  of  our  s-unmer  visitants  ; 
for  whether  in  the  woods,  or  in  the  garden,  where  he  frequently  builds' 
ins  nest,  he  seldom  allows  you  to  pass  without  approachlnrr  to  pav  his 
respects,  m  his  usual  way.  This  humble  familiarity  and"  deference 
trom  a  stranger,  too,  who  comes  to  rear  liis  young,  and  spend  the 
summer  with  us,  ought  to  entitle  him  to  a  full  share  of  our  hospitahty 
Sorry  I  am,  however,  to  say,  that  tliis,  in  too  many  instances,  is 
cruelly  the  reverse.  Of  this  I  will  speak  more  particularly  in  the 
sequel.  •' 

About  the  28th  of  February,  the  Cat  Bird  first  arrives  in  the  lower 
parte  of  Georgia  from  the  south,  consequently  winters  not  far  distant, 
probably  in  Fbrida.  On  the  second  week  in  April,  he  usually  reaches 
this  part  of  Pennsylvania,  and,  about  tiie  beginning  of  May,  has 
already  succeeded  in  building  his  nest.  Tiie  place  chosen  for  this 
purpose  IS  generally  a  thicket  of  briers  or  brambles,  a  thorn  bush, 
ttnck  vine,  or  the  forlc  of  a  small  sapling  ;  no  great  solicitude  is  shown 
tor  concealment,  though  few  birds  appear  more  interested  for  tlu- 
"iitetAT  ol  their  nest  and  young.  The  materials  are  dry  leaves  and 
weeds,  small  tvvig,s,  and  fine,  dry  grass;  the  inside  is  lined  with  the 
fine,  black,  fibrous  roots  of  some  plant  The  female  lays  four,  some- 
times hve  eggs,  ot  a  uniform  greenish  blue  color,  without  any  spots. 
Ihey  generally  raise  two,  and  sometime?  three  broods  in  a  season. 

In  passing  through  the  woods  in  summer,  I  have  sometimes  amused 

r.,L}l  -itf  »'^''",'  ""^  T"^^'  '•"«"'"  l^""'  '»  hfihits  and  structure,  appears  to 
.  .i£^  wuh  Bracl,ypus;bm  a  more  minute  inspection  shows  thai  it  will  rather  stamt 
r^Tn  .  •,'"  y     Onhmis     The  structure  of  the  bill,  feet,  and  tail,  are  all 

"f^  later;  wh.le  Ine  colors,  and  their  distribution,  a-roo  with  iJrar/iypM,  par- 
u™fark  the  mfous  vent;  that  part  ,s  a  nearly  constant  mark  amon-  l\,oBrarLi, 
^?  oJ  a  .afferent  and  bng-hter  color,  and  vorv  generally  red  or  yelfow.  The  true 
fhiyriiy.  do  not  seem  to  extend  to  Noril.  America;  they  are  chiefly  confined  to 
.•■■ea,  BMl  me  warmer  countries  of  India. 

14 


*l 


i«e 


CAT  BIRD. 


mvself  with  imitatinff  the  violent  cliirpinff  or  squeakuMT  of  young 
K  in  o  de  To  ob.."rv..  what  different  .p.ciei  ware  around  me  ;  lor 
aich  sounds!  at  such  a  season,  in  the  woods,  arc  no  k>s.  nlarm.n?  o 
r  feathered  tenantn  of  the  bn.hes  than  the  cry  of  firo  o,  .m.r  or  n 
fL  lfrPPt«  \h  to  the  inlmbitaiil^  of  a  largo  and  populous  cit:^.     On  su Ui 
tSns7alaS.'a"d  constornation,  L  Cat  B.rd  is  tho    r.t  to  .na  o 
his  appearance,  not  sinfrly,  h"t  Hometmies  half  a  dozen. ^^  ^ 
flvinff  from  diflorcnt  quarters  to  the  spot.     At  this  time,  those  wiio  are 
dfsDoscd  tT>  play  with  his  feelin-.  n.ay  almost  throw  him  into  hts  his 
Son  and  alatioii  are  bo  -^rcat,  at  the  distressful  cr.es  ,,f  what  he 
TppZ  to  be\iH  suffering  yf  n,.    Other  birds  -o  v«nous  y  affe  to^^ 
but  n..ne  show  symptoms  of  such  extreme  suttering.      1 1-    humcs 
backwards  and  forwards,  with  hansring  wings  and  open  mouln,  cal  mg 
mit  louder  and  faster,  and  actually  scream-ng  witli  distress,  till  he 
aopears  hoarse  with  his  e.Kertion9.     He  attempts  no  offensive  means 
but  he  bewaTls-he  in,plores-in  the  most  pathetic  terms  with  winch 
nature  hL  supplied  him,  and  with  an  agony  of  feeling  which  is  truly 
uffectinr  EvJry  feathered  neighbor  within  hearing  hastens  to  th  ■ 
pkce   to  learn  the  cause  of  the  alarm,  peeping  about  «»thb"kso^^ 
Consternation  and  sympathy.     But  their  own  powerful  P^rc"^ /u^  - 
and  domestic  concerns  soon  oblige  each  to  withdrew.    At  any  otlK  r 
season  the  most  perfect  imitations  have  no  effect  whatever  on  him. 

The  Cat  Bird  will  not  easily  desert  its  nest.  I  took  two  eggs  from 
one  which  was  sitting,  and  in  their  place  put  two  of  the  Brown 
Thru^  or  Thrasher,  arid  took  my  o.and  at  a  convenient  distance,  o 
see  how  she  would  behave.  In  a  minute  or  two,  the  male  made  his 
anoroaches,  stooped  down,  and  looked  earnestly  at  the  strange  eggs, 
SeTflew  ^ff  to^  his  mate',  who  was  npt__fardisUnt   with  whom  1^^^^^ 


seemed  to  have  some  ctmversati 
greatest  gentleness  took  out  bot': 
then  tiie  otlier,  carried  them  - 
them  among  the  bushes.  I  then 
and,  soon  after,  the  femulo  resici; 
From  the  nest  >f  another  Cat 


.d  instantly  returning,  with  ^he 
;^.     Tiirasher's  eggs,  first  one  and 
..,'■    -bout  thirty  yards,  and  dropped 
retu:- led  the  two  eggs  I  had  taken, 
■i'  ;  iT  place  on  the  nest  as  before, 
rrom  me  ne«,   m  .u,uu...   .....  bi^.,  I  took  two  half-fledged  young, 

and  placed  them  m  that  of  another,  which  was  s.ttmg  on  live  eggs 
She  soon  turned  them  both  ..ut.    The  place  where  f  ^  "f  J-^^^"/^ 
beincr  far  from  the  ground,  they  were  little  injured,  and  the  male, 
observing  tShelpkJs  situ'alion;  began  to  feed  them  with  great  ossi- 

'IVmlJ^UheS  of  a  Cat  Bird,  which  co.Uained  four  egg«,  neari, 
hatched,  from  a  fox  grape  vine,  and  fixed  it  firmly  and  carefu  y  ml 
thicket  of  briers  close  by,  without  injuring  its  contents,  \nle.s  than 
half  an  hour  I  returned,  and  found  it  again  occupied  by  the  temale. 

Tlte  Ca  Bird  is  one  of  our  earliest  morniug  songsters,  begmini^ 
eenerallv  before  break  of  day,  and  hovenng  from  bush  to  bush,  with 
lr.Tsp?ightli.>css,  when  there  ,s  scarce  light  sufficient  to  distinguish 
L  flis^notes  are  more  remarkable  for  singularity  than  for  melody. 
Thev  consist  of  sb  .rt  imitations  of  other  birds,  and  other  stumds;  but, 
his  pipe  being  rather  deficient  in  clearness  and  strength  of  tone,  lus 
imitat  ons  faFl  where  these  arc  requisite.  Yet  he  is  not  easily  dis- 
c™  1,  but  seems  to  study  certain  passages  with  great  persever- 
anccfut  oring them  at  fir.t  low, and, as  he  succeeds,  higher  and  more 


CAT  niRD, 


159 


i 


free,  nowiHi-  embarrassed  uy  tK  .scnce  d'"  a  spectator  even  within 
a  few  yards  of  him.  On  nttciitivt  .y  listeiiii,  1)r  Momi-  time  to  him, 
one  can  perceive  considerablu  v.iioty  in  his  (h  iorrn  ice,  in  which  he 
seems  to  introduce  all  tin-  odd  iinndn  iind  qiMiut  pussagt's  he  has 
been  able  to  coll.  t.  Upon  the  whD'o,  thoii',<i  wu  cannot  urranffo  him 
witii  the  grnnd  headers  of  our  vernal  chorister^,  hr-  well  nirrits  a 
place  among  the  most  uj^re.  . ».]{,.  gmirnl  p  rforincra. 

This  bird,  as  Jiay  been  bclore  obn.  ni;d,  is  very  nuiti-roux,  in  sum- 
mer, in  tho  Middk'  Wtatcs.     Scniroly  a  thicki>t  in  the  ronntry  is  with- 
out its  '"at  Bird-t;    and  w<>re  tlioy't)  lly  in  lloclcs.  like  miiiv  ot.h.  .■ 
birds,  tlioy  would  darken  the  air  with  their  ninnbcrs,    Utit  thfirL.ijr'a- 
tions  arc  seldom  obs  i  ,nd,  owiii^r  to  their  ^Tadiial  pioirress  and  re",  .s 
sion,  in  Hprinjr  and  autumn,  to  and  from  tiieir  brcodin.^  places.     They 
enter  Goonna  '  w  in  February,  and  re;ich  New  Kjurlaiid  about    '  .- 
beginning  of  May.     [n   their  miirrations,  they   kcp^pace   «i[i 
progress  of  agriculture;    "1  the  first  settlei-a  in  many  jjarls  oi 
Gcnnesee  country,  have  lui    me.  Miat  it  was  several  years  after 
removed  there,  before  the  Cat  Bird  made  iii^  apix'arancc  among  th 
With  all  these  amiable  qualities  to  recommend  him,  ['aw  people  ir  : 
country  respect  the  ("at  Bird;   vn  the  contrary,  it  is  generally  the 
object     ■  dislike  ;    and  the  boys  of  the  United  States  ent'rtain  the 
me        judice  and  c  .iteim.t  for  tlii^  bird,  its  n.'st  and  young,  as 

H    of  Britain  do  for  th     Vello'v  Hammer,  and  its  nest,  eggs,  and 
y  i\g,     I  am  ut  a  loss  h         •m\\   lor  tln-<  cnirl  prejudice!''  Even 
by  whom  -  •        ■  ... 

Cat  Bird 
liate  Dutchmen,  i.Vc., ■ 


thune  by  whom  it  is  ontert         :     an  tirarcoly  tell  \o\\  why  ;  only  thoy 
"hr'te  Cat  Birds;"    a.s  soinu  |nraons  tell  yon  they  " 


th 


■expression- that  besp.. 


te  Frenchmen, 
their  own  nar 


rowiuss  of  understanding,  and  «  uit  ot  liberality.  Yet,  after  ruim 
nating  over  in  my  own  mind  all  t;e>  probable  caiis'.s,  I  think  I  have  at 
last  hit  on  some  of  them  ;  the  principal  of  which  seems  to  me  to  be  a 
certain  similarity  of  taste,  and  clashing  of  interest,  between  the  Cat 
Bird  and  the  fanner.  The  Cat  Bird  is  fond  of  larue,  ripe  garden 
strawberries  ;  so  is  tlio  tanner,  for  the  good  price"^  they  brim"  in 
market :  the  Cut  Bird  loves  the  best  and  richest  early  cherries  1,  so 
does  the  farmer,  for  they  are  sometimes  the  most  profitable  of  his 
early  fruit:  the  Cat  Bird  lias  a  particular  partiality  for  the  finest,  ripe, 
mellow  pears  ;  and  these  are  also  particular  favorites  with  the  farmer. 
But  tin;  Cat  Bird  lias  frequently  the  advantage  of  the  farmer,  by 
snatching  off  the  first  fruits  of  these  delicious  productions  ;  ;>nd  the 
farmer  takes  revenge,  by  shooting  him  down  with  his  -run,  as  ;  finds 
old  hats,  windmills,  ami  scarecrows,  are  no  impedim  ls  in  li,-,  way  to 
tliese  forbidden  fruits  ;  and  nothing  but  this  resource  — thf  altirnatum 
of  farmers  as  well  as  kings  — can  restrain  his  visits,  '  .e  boys  are 
now  set  to  watch  the  cherry-trees  with  the  gun :  and  ,  commences 
a  train  of  prejudices  and  antipathies,  that  commonly  cuutinue  tlirouirh 
life.  Perhaps,  too,  the  common  note  of  the  Cat  Bird,  so  like  the 
mewing  of  the  animal  wh  '  name  it  bears,  and  who  itself  sustains  no 
small  share  of  prejudice,  t,ie  Homeliness  of  his  plumage,  and  even  his 
familiarity,  so  proverbially  known  to  beget  contempt,  may  also  con- 
tribute to  this  mean,  illiberal,  and  persecuting  prejudice ;  but,  with 
tlie  generous  and  the  good,  the  lovers  of  nature  and  of  rural  charms, 
the  confidence  which  tliis  familiar  bird  places  in  man  by  building  in 


^> 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


/. 


/ML//       i'^^  M 


1.0 


I.I 


l^|2B     12.5 

Ko   mil  2.0 


-    6" 


22 


1.8 


L25  il.4    IIIIII.6 


^> 


.%^.#/ 


Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTEU.N.Y.  MiBO 

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CAT  BIRD. 


bis  ffarden,  under  hh  eye,  the  music  of  his  song,  and  the  interesting 
playfulness  of  his  manners,  will  always  be  more  than  a  recompense 
for  all  the  little  stolen  morsels  he  snatchr^s. 

The  Cat  Bird  measures  nino  inches  in  length  ;  at  a  small  distance 
he  appears  nearly  black;  but,  on  a  closer  examination,  is  ot  a  deep 
slate  color  above,  lightest  on  tlie  edges  of  the  primaries,  and  of  a 
considerably  lighter  slate  color  below,  except  the  under  tail-covcrts 
which  are  very  dark  red ;  the  tail,  which  is  rounded,  and  upper  part  of 
the  head,  as  well  as  the  legs  and  bill,  are  black.  The  female  differs 
little  in  color  from  the  male.  Latham  takes  notice  of  a  bird,  exactly 
resembling  this,  being  found  at  Kamtschatka,  only  it  wanted  tiie  red 
under  the  tail.  Probably  it  might  have  been  a  young  bird,  m  which 
the  red  is  scarcely  observable.  .,     m      .  u 

This  bird  has  been  very  improperly  classed  among  tiie  1-  lycatchers. 
As  he  never  seizes  his  prey  on  wing,  has  none  of  their  manners,  feeds 
priPcipally  on  fruit,  and  seems  to  differ  so  little  from  the  Thrushes,  1 
think  he  more  properly  belongs  to  the  latter  tribe,  than  to  anjr  other 
oenus  we  have.  His  "bill,  legs,  and  feet,  place  and  mode  of  building, 
tiie  color  of  the  eggs,  his  imitative  notes,  food,  and  general  manners, 
all  iustifv  me  in  removing  him  to  this  genus.  ,  •    ,     wu 

The  Cat  Bird  is  one  of  those  unfortunate  victims,  and  mdeec  the 
principal,  against    which    credulity   and    ignorance   have   so  otlen 
directed  the  fascinating  quality  of  the  black  snak<^     A  multitude  of 
marvellous  stories  have  b.;en  told  me  by  people  who  have  themselves 
seen  the  poor  Cat  Birds  drawn,  or  sucked,  as  they  sometimes  express 
it,  from  the  tops  of  the  trees,  (which,  by  the  by,  the  Cat  Bird  rarely 
visits,)  one  by  one  into  the  yawning  mouth  of  tiie  immovable  snake. 
It  has  so  happened  with  me  that,  in  all  the  adventures  of  this  kind 
that  I   have   personally  witnessed,  the   Cat  Bird   was  actually  the 
assailant,  and  always  the  successful  one.    These  rencounters  never 
take  place  but  during  the  breeding  time  of  birds ;  for  whose  e^gs  and 
youn^  the  snake  lia.s  a  particular  partiality.    It  is  no  wonder  that 
those^spccies,  whose  nests  are  usually  built  near  the  ground,  should 
be  the  greatest  sufferers,  and  the  most  solicitous  for  their  safety : 
hence  the  cause  why  the  Cat  Bird  makes  such  a  distinguished  figure 
in  most  of  these  marvellous  narrations.    That  a  poisonous  snake  will 
strike  a  bird  or  mouse,  and  allow  it  to  remain  till  nearly  expiring 
before  he  begins  to  devour  it,  our  observations  on  the  living  rattle- 
snake, at  present  [1811]  kept  by  Mr.  Peale,  satisfy  us  is  a  fact ;   but 
that  the  sime  snake,  with  eyes,  breath,  or  any  other  known  quality  he 
possesses,  should   be  capable  of  drawmg  a  bird,  reluctantly,  f^rom 
the  tree  tops  to  its  mouth,  is  an  absurdity  too  great  for  me  to  swallow. 
I  am  led  to  these  observations  by  a  note  which  I  received  tins 
morning  from  my  worthy  friend  Mr.  Bartram:    « Yesterday,    says 
this  gentleman,  "  I  observed  a  conflict,  or  contest,  between  a  Cat  Bird 
and  I  snake.     It  took  place  in  a  gravel  walk  in  the  garden    near  a 
dry  wall  of  stone.     I  was  within  a  few  yards  of  the  combatants.     1  he 
bird  pounced  or  darted  upon  the  snake,  snapping  his  bill ;   the  snake 
would  then  draw  himself  quickly  into  a  coil,  ready  for  a  blow ;  but 
the  bird  would  cautiously  circumvent  him  at  a  little  distance,  nmv  and 
then  running  up  to,  and  snapping  at  him ;  but  keeping  at  a  sufficient 
distance  to  avoid  a  blow.    After  some  minutes,  it  became  a  runmng 


-4 


BAY-BREASTED  WARBLER.  161 

SVJrZJ'L?"''^^'"^'  ^"^'  f  {^'^  ^''  took  shelter  in  the  wall. 
«%hl  k''  y'T"  °"^.l!"  t'^^  ''"^^'^^  "«"  th'  field  of  battle. 

"This  may  show  the  possibility  of  poisonous  snakes  bitin<r  birds- 

SscinEJ"'  "    "^^  ^'"'°"  '^""''"^  *''«•"  *«  ''''^"^''  ««  't  were, 


BAY-BREASTED  WARBLER. -SYLVIA  CASTANEA.-Fig.  6L 

Panis  pcregrinus,  The  Little  Chocolate-breasted  Titmouse,  fiartra;;,  p.  292 
—  Peale's  MHseuvi,^.  1311.  *^ 

SYLyiCOLa    C^Sy^JVB^.  — SwAiNaow. 

Sylvia  castanea,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  81.  * 

This  very  rare  species  passes  through  Pennsylvania  about  the  be<rin. 
ning  of  May,  and  soon  disappears.  It  has  many  of  the  habits  of°the 
tw  !!1""'!5  T  .-^^  Its  activity;  hanging  among  the  extremities  of  the 
twigs,  and  darting  abotit  from  place  to  place,  with  restless  diligence, 
m  search  of  various  kinds  of  the  larvte  of  insects.  It  is  never  seen 
irl!fi"  ""™'"r'  ^"'J  r/y  rttrely  on  its  return,  owing,  no  doubt,  to  the 
greater  abundance  of  foliage  at  that  time,  and  to  the  silence  and  real 

SrmJd  ^''^'"^'"    ^^'^^  "^"^  ''"'^  ""^^^  '^^  ^"^  altogether  un- 

The  length  of  this  bird  is  five  inches,  breadth  eleven  ;  throat,  breast, 
and  sides  under  the  wings  pale  chectnut,  or  bay;  forehead,  cheeks 
lowprr.''"^  strip  through  the  eye,  black ;  crown,  deep  chestnut 
lower  parts,  dull  yellowish  white  ;  hind  head  and  back,  streaked  with 
black,  on  a  grayish  buff  ground;  wings,  brownish  black,  crossed  with 
two  bars  of  white ;  tail,  forked,  brownish  bhick,  edged  with  ash  the 
three  exterior  feathers  marked  with  a  spot  of  white  on  the  inner  ed^es  • 
behind  the  eye  is  a  broad,  oblong  spot  of  yellowish  white.  The  female 
has  much  less  of  the  bay  color  on  the  breast;  the  black  on  the  fore- 
head IS  also  less,  and  of  a  brownish  tint     The  legs  and  feet,  in  both, 

Th^S     S'^'^^^'^r  ftremely  sharp  for  climbing  and  hanging 
the  bill  IS  black  ;  irides,  hazel.  ^    ^  ' 

The  ornithologists  of  Europe  take  no  notice  of  this  species,  and 
have  probably  never  met  with  it.  Indeed,  it  is  so  seldom  seen  in  this 
part  of  Pennsylvania,  that  few  even  of  our  own  writers  nave  men- 
tioned It 

1  }  ^?telv  received  a  very  neat  drawing  of  this  bird,  done  by  a  youne 
lady  in  Middletown,  Connecticut,  where  it  seems  also  to  be  a  rare 
species. 

*  According  to  Bonaparte,  discovered  and  first  described  by  Wilson.  — Ed. 

14* 


1G2 


CHEdTNUT-SIDED  WARBLER. 


CHESTNUT-SIDED  WARBLER.  —  SYLVIA   PENNSYLVANICA. 

—  Fio.  62. 

Linn.  Syst.  333.  —  Red-lhroated  Flycatcher,  £</».  301.  — Bloody-side  Warbler, 
Tnrton,  Syst.  i.  y,.  596.  —  Lc  figuier  a  poilriao  rouge,  Buff.  v.  308  —  Brisi.  Add. 
105.  —  Lath.  ii.  489.  —  Arct.  Zool.  p.  405,  No.  298.  —  Feale's  Museum,  No.  7UUG. 

STLVICOLA    [CTEROCEPIML.a.  —  Bvrt.i«ioit. 

Svlvia  icteroccphala.  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  80.  —  The  Chestnut-sided  Warbler,  Aud. 
^  pi.  69.    Orn.  Biog.  p.  306. 

Op  this  bird  I  can  give  but  little  account.  It  ia  one  of  those  tran- 
sient visitors  that  pass  through  Pennsylvania,  in  April  and  May,  on 
their  way  farther  north  to  breed.  During  its  stay  here,  which  seldom 
exceeds  a  week  or  ten  days,  it  appears  actively  engaged  among  the 
openinijr  buds  and  young  leaves,  in  search  of  insects ;  has  no  song  but 
a  feeble  chirp,  or  twitter ,  and  is  not  numerous.  As  it  leaves  us  early 
in  May,  it  probably  breeds  in  Canada,  or,  perhaps,  some  parts  of  New- 
England  ;  though  1  have  no  certain  knowledge  of  the  fact  In  a 
whole  day's  excursion,  it  is  rare  to  meet  with  more  than  one  or  two  of 
these  birds ;  though  a  thousand  individuals  of  some  species  may  be 
seen  in  the  same  time.  Perhaps  they  may  be  more  numerous  on  some 
other  part  of  tiie  continent 

Tlie  length  of  this  species  is  five  inches ;  the  extent,  seven  and  three 
quarters.  Tlie  front,  line  over  the  eye,  and  ear-feathers,  are  pure 
white;  upper  part  of  the  head,  brilliant  yellow ;  the  lores  and  space 
immediately  below  are  marked  with  a  triangular  patch  of  black  ;  the 
back  and  hind  head  are  streaked  with  gray,  dusky  black,  and  dull  yel- 
low ;  wings,  black;  primaries,  edged  witli  pale  blue,  the  first  and  sec- 
ond row  of  coverts,  broadly  tipped  with  pale  yellow ;  secondaries, 
broadly  edged  with  the  same  ;  tail,  black,  handsomely  forked,  exteriorly 
edged  with  asl; ;  the  inner  webs  of  the  three  exterior  feathers  with 
each  a  spot  of  white ;  from  the  extremity  of  tlie  black  at  the  lower 
mandible,  on  each  side,  a  streak  of  deep  reddish  chestnut  descends 
along  the  sides  of  the  neck,  and  under  the  wings,  to  the  root  of  the 
tail  ;"tlie  rest  of  the  lower  parts  are  pure  white ;  legs  and  feet,  ash ; 
bill,  black  ;  irides,  hazel.  The  female  has  the  hind  head  much  lighter, 
and  the  chestnut  on  the  sides  is  considerably  narrower,  and  not  of  so 
deep  a  tint 

Tiirton,  and  some  other  writers,  have  bestowed  on  this  little  bird 
the  singular  epithet  of  "  bloody-sided,"  for  which  I  was  at  a  loss  to 
know  tire  r«as(m,  the  color  of  that  part  being  a  plain  chestnut ;  till,  on 
examining  Mr.  Edwards's  colored  figure  of  this  bird  in  the  public  libra- 
ry  of  Philadelphia,  I  foimd  its  side  tinged  with  a  brilliant  blood  color 
Hence,  I  suppose,  originated  the  name' 


MOURNING  WARBLER, 


163 


MOURNING  WARBLER, -SYLVIA  PHILAnELPHIA.-Fio.63. 

TnrCHJlS 7  PHILADELPHIA.  -  Jardihi. 
Sylvia  Philadelphia,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  85. 

I  HAVE  now  the  honor  of  introducing  to  the  notice  of  naturalists 
and  others  a  very  modest  and  neat  little  species,  which  has  hitherto 
eluded  their  research.    I  must  also  add,  with  regret,  that  it  is  the  only 
one  of  Its  kind  I  have  yet  met  with.    The  bird  from  which  the  figure 
in  the  plate  was  taken,  was  shot  in  the  early  part  of  June,  on  the  bor- 
der of  a  marsh,  withm  a  few  miles  of  Philadelphia.    It  was  flittina 
from  one  low  bush  to  another,  very  busy  in  search  of  insects ;  and  had 
a  sprightly  and  pleasant  warbling  song,  the  novelty  of  which  first  at- 
tracted my  attention.   I  have  traversed  the  same  and  many  such  places 
every  spring  and  summer  since,  in  expectation  of  again  meeting  with 
some  individual  of  the  species,  but  without  success.  I  have,  however 
the  satisfaction  to  say,  that  the  drawing  was  dane  with  the  greatest 
attention  to  peculiarity  of  form,  markings,  and  tint  of  plumale;  and 
the  figure  on  the  plate  is  a  good  resemblance  of  the  ori^rinal.    I  have 
^u*  ,jPfl°^  meeting,  in  some  of  my  excursions,  with  the  female,  and, 
should  I  be  so  fortunate,  shall  represent  her  in  some  future  volume  of 
the  present  work,  with  such  further  remarks  on  their  manners,  &c.,  as 
1  may  then  be  enabled  to  make. 

There  are  two  species  mentioned  by  Turton,  to  which  the  present 
has  some  resemblance,  viz.,  MotacUla  mitrata,  or  Mitred  Warbler,  and 
M.  cucullafa,  or  Hooded  Warbler ;  both  birds  of  the  United  States 
or,  more  properly,  a  single  bird;  for  they  are  the  same  species  twice 
described,  namely,  the  Hooded  Warbler.  The  differei.  .e,  however 
between  that  and  the  present  is  so  striking,  as  to  determine  this  m 
once  to  be  a  very  distinct  species.  The  singular  appearance  of  the 
head,  neck,  and  breast,  suggested  the  name. 

The  Mourning  Warbler  is  five  inches  long,  and  seven  in  extent  • 
the  whole  back,  wings,  and  tail,  are  of  a  deep  greenish  olive,  the  tips' 
ot  the  wings,  and  the  centre  of  the  tail-feathers,  excepted,  which  are 
brownish ;  the  whole  head  is  of  a  dull  slate  color;  the  breast  is  orna- 
mented with  a  singular  crescent  of  alternate,  transverse  lines  of  pure 
glossy  white,  and  very  deep  black;  all  the  rest  of  the  lower  parts  are 
ot  a  brilliant  yellow  ;  the  tail  is  rounded  at  the  end ;  legs  and  feet  a 
pale  flesh  color  ;  bili,  deep  brownish  black  above,  lighter  below;  eye, 

'Wilson  saw  this  bird  only  once,  and  I  have  met  with  no  one  who  has  since  seen 
It.  I'tom  the  general  appearance  of  the  representation,  it  seems  to  approach  nearest 
to  tiie  generic  appellation  wc  have  given,  but  which  must  rest  yet  undecided 
BonaDarte  observes,  "  1  he  excessive  rarity  might  lead  us  to  suppose  it  an  acci- 
dental variety  of  some  other,  —perhaps  S.  irichas."  —  En. 


164 


RED-COTKAnEl)  WOODPECKER. 


H 


RED-COCKADED  WOODPECKER.  —  PICUS  QUERULUS.  — 

Fig.  64. 

Peak's  Museum,  No.  20^ 

DE^TDROCOPUS  QUERULUS, —Koch. 

Pi'cus  querulus,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  46. 

This  new  species  I  first  discovered  in  the  pine  woods  of  North 
Carolina.  The  singularity  of  its  voice,  which  greatly  resembles  the 
chirping  of  young  nestlings^,  and  the  red  streak  on  the  side  of  its  head, 
suggi'sted  the  specific  name  I  have  given  it.  It  also  extends  through 
Sonti  Carolina  and  Georgia,  at  least  as  far  as  the  Altamaha  River. 
Observing  tlie  first  specimen  I  found  to  be  so  slightly  marked  with 
red,  ;  suspected  it  to  bo  a  young  bird,  or  imperfect  in  its  plumage; 
but  tho  great  numbors  I  atlorwards  shot,  satisfied  me  thnt  this  is  a 
peculiarity  of  the  species.  It  appeared  exceedingly  restless,  active, 
and  clamorous ;  and  every  where  I  found  its  manners  the  same. 

This  bird  seems  to  be  an  intermediate  link  between  the  Red-bellied 
and  the  Hairy  Woodpecker,  represented  in  Nos.  20  and  37.  It  has 
the  back  of  the  former,  and  the  white  belly  and  spotted  neck  of  the 
latter;  but  waiivs  tlK>  breadth  of  red  in  both,  and  is  less  than  either. 
A  preserved  specimen  lias  been  deposited  in  the  Museum  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

This  Woodpecker  is  seven  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  thirteen 
broad ;  the  upper  part  of  the  head  is  black ;  the  back  barred  with 
twelve  white  transversely  semicircular  lines,  and  as  many  of  black, 
alternately  ;  the  cheeks  and  sides  of  the  nock  are  white  ;  whole  lower 
parts,  the  eamo ;  from  the  lower  mandible,  a  list  of  black  passes  towards 
the  shoulder  of  the  wintr,  where  it  is  lost  in  small  black  spots  on  each 
side  of  the  breast;  the  wings  are  black,  spotted  with  white;  the 
four  middle  tail-foathcrs,  black;  the  rest  white,  spotted  with  black; 
rump,  black,  variegated  with  white;  the  vent,  white,  spotted  with 
black  ;  the  hairs  that  cover  the  nostrils  are  of  a  pale  cream  color;  the 
bill,  deep  slate.  But  what  forms  the  most  distinguishing  peculiarity 
of  tills  bird,  is  a  fine  line  of  vermilion  on  each  side  of  the  head,  sel- 
dom occupying  more  than  the  edge  of  a  single  feather.  The  female 
is  destitute  of  this  ornament;  but,  in  the  rest  of  her  plumage,  differs 
in  nothing  from  the  male.     The  iris  of  the  eye,  in  both,  was  hazel. 

The  stomachs  of  all  those  I  opened  were  filled  with  small  black 
insects  and  fragments  o*"  large  beetles.  The  posterior  extremities  of 
the  tongue  reached  near  y  to  the  base  of  the  upper  mandible. 


BROWN-HEADED  NUTHATCH. 


165 


BROWN-HEADED  NUTHATCH. _ SITTA   PUSILLA.-Fio.  65 

/<«#.  V.  4n4,.  —  PeaU's  Museum,  No.  2040.  — flns*.  iii.  ^Xiii.— Latli.  i.  051,0' 

S/7'7-.a   PUSIU^.  _  Latham. 

Silta  pusilla,  Bonap.  Stjnop.  p.  97. 

This  bird  is  chiefly  an  inhabitant  of  Virginia  and  the  Southern 
States,  and  seems  particularly  fond  of  pine-trees.  I  l,ave  never  m 
discovered  it  either  m  Pennsylvania  or  any  of  the  regions  north^of 
this  Its  manners  are  very  similar  to  those  of  tlie  Red-bellied  Nut- 
hatch represented  in  No.  7;  but  its  notes  are  more  shrill  and  chirp- 
ing. In  the  countries  it  inhabits  it  is  a  constant  resideir  andfn 
Tnn  T  "^f^tes  with  parties,  of  eight  or  ten,  of  its  ov.  u  species,  tl^ 
hunt  busily  from  tree  to  tree,  keeping  up  a  perpetual  ^creepinu-.  '  K 
f'equen  companion  of  the  Woodpecker  figured  beside  it:  and  you 
rarely  find  the  one  in  the  woods  without  observing  or  hearino-'the  other 
not  far  off  It  climbs  equally  in  every  direction,  on  tlie  smaller  brancSs 
fnJ'f  ''  «n  the  body  of  the  tree,  in  search  of  its  favorite  fooTsn  all 
insects  and  their  larvE.  It  also  feeds  on  the  seeds  of  the  Dine-tree 
I  have  never  met  with  its  nest.  ^ 

This  species  is  four  inches  and  a  quarter  long,  and  ei-rht  broad  •  the 
^^■hole  upper  part  of  the  head  and  neck,  from  the  bill  to  the  back,'  and 
as  far  down  as  the  eyes,  is  light  brown,  or  pale  ferruginous,  shaded 
with  darker  touches  with  the  exception 'of  a  spot  of  white  Aear  the 
back;  from  the  nostril  through  ti.e  eyes,  the  brown  is  deepest, mi  n^ 
a  very  observable  line  there;  the  chin,  and  sides  of  the  neck  3 
i«^f ;  "T  'i'f '  ^^^  '''"^''  '^"'^i^  5  ^^  '^"v^rts  and  three  seconda- 
£  rp?lS  ''^^'  "  '^^*'  "r  lead  color,  which  is  also  the  color  of 
the  rest  of  the  upper  parts ;  the  tail  is  nearly  even  at  the  end,  the  two 
middle  feathers  slate  color,  the  others  black,  tipped  with  slate'  and 
crossed  diagoimlly  with  a  streak  of  white;  legs  and  feet,  dull  blue 
upper  mandible,  black;  lower,  blue  at  the  base;  iris,  haze  ThJ 
female  differs  in  having  the  brown  on  the  head  rather  darker,  and  the 
hne  through  the  eye  less  conspicuous.  ' 

beJrI'iill'nfTiyj  p''*^ ''  ^'"'?  ""^'•''''^  ^"  '^''^^''y'  ^"'l  ^f'^t  little  has 
been  said  of  it  by  Europeans  is  not  much  to  its  credit     It  is  charac- 
terized as  "a  very  stupid  bird,"  which  may  easily  be  knockerdown 
from  the  sides  of  the  tree,  with  one's  cane.'  I  confess  I  foundTt  a  v  Jry 
S^Trffi^^f'  ^"V^-^Nand  restless  in  its  motions  as  to  be 

nP  In  L^'"^*^-  ^'T*  1"  ^"^y  ^'"'^'1  ^''^^  '^^"^  1«^««  suspicious 
of  man  than  large  ones ;  but  that  activity  and  restless  diligence  should 
constitute  stupidity,  ,s  rather  a  new  doctrine.  Upon  the  whole,  I  am 
of  opinion,  that  a  person  who  should  undertake  the  destruction  of  these 
birds  at  even  a  dollar  a  head  for  all  he  knocked  down  with  his  cane, 
would  run  a  fair  chance  of  starving  by  his  profession.* 

•  In  our  note  at  page  24,  wo  mentioned  that  the  American  Xulhatcdes  and  that 
of  Europe  were  the  onlyspec.es  known.    M.  Vigors  has  since  described,!  ^e 


I  : 


lit  ,1 


JG6 


PIGEON  HAWK. 


PIGION  HAWK  —  FALCO  COLUMBARIUS  —  Fio.  66.  — Malk. 

Linn.  Syst.  p.  128,  No.  ^.—  Lath.  8m.  i.  p.  101,  No.  86.— L'Epervier  do  la 
Caroline,  Briss.  Om.  i.  p.  238.  — Ca/cs6  i.  p.  3,  t.  3.—  Bartram,  p.  290.— 
Turton,  Sysl.  i.  p.  16±  — Prate's  Museum,  No.  362. 

FJiLCO   COLUMBARIOS.  —  Lii»njid». 

Pieeon  Hawk,  Penn.   Arct.  Zool.  ii.  222.  —  Falco  Columbarius,  Borwp.  Synop. 
p.  28.  —  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  35. 

This  small  Hawk  possesses  ^eat  spirit  and  rapidity  of  flight.  He 
is  generally  migratory  in  the  Middle  and  Northern  States,  arriving  in 
Pennsylvania  early  in  spring,  and  extending  his  migrations  as  far  north 
as  Hudson's  Bay.  After  building,  and  rearing  his  young,  he  retires  to 
the  south  early  in  November.  Small  birds  and  mice  are  his  principal 
food.  When  the  Reed  Birds,  Graklea,  and  Red-winged  Blackbirds 
congrogute  in  large  flights,  he  is  often  observed  hovering  in  their  rear, 
or  on  their  flanks,  picking  up  the  weak,  the  wounded,  or  stragglers, 
and  frequently  making  a  sudden  and  fatal  sweep  into  the  very  midst 
of  their  multitudes.  The  flocks  of  Robins  and  Pigeons  are  honored 
with  the  same  attentions  from  this  marauder,  whose  daily  excursions 
are  entirely  regulated  by  the  movements  of  the  great  body  on  whose 
unfortunate  members  he  fattens.  The  individual  from  which  the 
drawing  on  the  plate  was  taken,  was  shot  in  the  meadows  below  Phil- 
adelphia in  the  month  of  August  He  was  carrying  off"  a  Blackbird 
(Oriolus  phaniceus)  from  the  flock,  and,  though  mortally  wounded  and 
dying,  held  his  prey  fast  till  his  last  expiring  breath,  having  struck  his 
claws  into  its  very  heart  This  was  found  to  be  a  male.  Sometimes 
when  shot  at,  and  not  hurt,  he  will  fly  in  circles  over  the  sportsman's 
head,  shrieking  out  with  great  violence,  as  if  highly  irritated.  He  fre- 
quently flies  low,  skimming  a  little  above  the  field.  I  have  never  seen 
his  nest* 

The  Pigeon  Hawk  is  eleven  inches  long,  and  twenty-three  broad  ; 
the  whole  upper  parts  are  of  a  deep  dark  brown,  except  the  tail,  which 
is  crossed  with  bars  of  white  ;  the  inner  vanes  of  the  quill-feathers  are 
marked  with  round  spots  of  reddish  brown :  the  bill  is  short,  strongly 
toothed,  of  a  light  blue  color,  and  tipped  with  black ;  the  skin  surround- 
ing the  eye,  greenish ;  cere,  the  same ;  temples  and  line  over  the  eye, 

proceedings  of  the  Comniillcc  of  Science  of  tlic  Zoological  Society,  one  under  the 
name  of  Sitta  caslaneoventn.i,  from  India,  which,  if  Irnc  to  the  type,  may  prove  an 
addition.  In  the  same  place,  that  gentleman  also  describes  a  second  species  of 
Certhia,  (C.  spilomita,)  but  adds, ''  the  tail  of  this  bird  is  soft  and  ncxible."  We 
have  noticed,  in  a  former  note,  the  C.  familiaris  as  the  oirly  known  species,  and 
we  doubt  if  that  now  mentioned  can  ranlc  with  it.  —  En. 

*  Mr.  Hutchins,  in  his  notes  on  the  Hudson's  Bay  birds,  informs  us  thai  this  spe- 
cies makes  its  nest  in  hollow  rocks  and  trees,  of  .sticks  and  grass,  lined  with  feathert, 
laying  from  two  to  four  white  eggs,  thinly  marked  with  red  spots. 

"This  species  has  the  form  oi  the  Falcons,  with  the  bill  strongly  toothed,  bM 
•omewhat  of  the  plumage  of  the  Sparrow  Hawks.  The  color  of  the  eggs  is  alw 
(hat  of  Ike  lauer.  —  Ed. 


BLUE-WINGED  YELLOW  WARBLER. 


167 


lighter  brown ;  the  lower  parts,  brownish  white,  streaked  latorallv 
with  dark  brown  ;  legs,  yellow  ;  claws,  black.  The  female  is  an  inch 
and  a  half  longer,  of  a  still  deeper  color,  though  marked  nearly  in 
the  same  manner,  with  the  exception  of  some  white  on  the  hind  head 
The  femoral,  or  thigh  feathers,  in  hoth  are  of  a  remarkable  lenrrth 
reaching  nearly  to  the  feet,  ard  are  also  streaked  longitudinally  with 
dark  brown.  The  iridcs  of  the  eyes  of  this  bird  have  been  hitherto 
described  as  being  of  a  brilliant  yellow ;  but  every  specimen  I  have 
yet  mot  with  had  the  iris  of  a  deep  hazel.  I  must  therefore  follow 
nature,  in  opposition  to  very  numerous  and  respectable  autliorities. 

I  cannot,  in  imitation  of  European  naturalists,  embellish  the  hi-story 
of  this  species  with  anecdotes  of  its  exploits  in  falconry.  This 
science,  if  it  may  be  so  called,  is  among  the  few  that  have  never  yet 
travelled  across  the  Atlantic;  neither  does  it  appear  that  the  idea  of 
training  our  Hawks  or  Eagles  to  the  chase,  ever  sugjrested  itself  to 
any  of  the  Indian  nations  of  North  America.  The  Tartars,  however 
from  whom,  according  to  certain  writers,  many  of  these  nations 
originated,  have  long  excelled  in  the  practice  of  this  sport,  which  is 
indeed  better  suited  to  an  open  country  than  to  one  covered  with 
forest  Though  once  so  honorable  and  so  universal,  it  is  now  much 
disused  in  Europe,  and  in  Britain  is  nearly  extinct.  Ytt  I  cannot 
but  consider  it  as  a  much  more  noble  and  princely  amusement  than 
horse-racing  and  cock-fighting,  cultivated  in  certain  states  with  so 
much  care;  or  even  than  pugilism,  which  is  still  so  highly  patronized 
18  some  of  those  enlightened  countries. 


BLUE-WINGED  YELLOW  WARBLER. 

—  Fio.67. 


-SYLVIA  SOLITARIA. 


Panis  aureus  alis  coeruleis,  Bartram,  p.  "in.  —  Edw.  pi.  2T7,  upper  firare  —1  ne 
Warbler,  Arct.  Zool.  p.  412.  No.  318.  —  Pealed  Museum,  iSo.l307. 

VERMIVORA    SOLITARIA Swainsow. 

Sylvia  solitaria,  Bomp.  Synop.  p.  87.  —  The  Blue-winged  Yellow  Warbler 
Aud.  pi.  20,  Orn.  Biog.  i.  102.  ' 

This  bird  has  been  mistaken  for  the  Pine  Creeper  of  Catesby.  It 
is  a  very  different  species.  It  comes  to  us  early  in  May  from  the 
south ;  haunts  thickets  and  shrubber  3s,  searchinjr  the  branches  for 
insects ;  is  fond  of  visiting  gardens,  orchards,  and  willow-trees,  of 
gleaning  among  blossoms  and  currant  bushes ;  and  is  frequently  found 
in  very  sequestered  woods,  where  it  generally  builds  its  nest.  This 
is  fixed  in  a  thick  bunch  or  tussock  of  long  grass,  sometimes  sheltered 
by  a  brier  bush.  It  is  built  in  the  form  of  an  inverted  cone,  or  funnel, 
the  bottom  thickly  bedded  with  dry  beech  leaves,  the  sides  formed  of 
the  dry  bark  of  strong  weeds,  lined  within  with  fine,  dry  grass.    These 


"^^^IWI 


168 


BLUE-WINGED   YELLOW   WARBLER. 


materials  arc  not  placed  in  the  usual  manner,  circularly,  b  it  shelvinjf 
downwards  on  all  sides  from  tJie  top ;  tiio  mouth  beinjy  wide,  the  bot- 
tom very  narrow,  filled  with  leaves,  and  the  eggs  or  young  occupying 
the  middle.  The  female  lays  five  eggs,  pure  white,  with  a  few  very 
faint  dots  of  reddish  near  the  great  end ;  the  young  appear  the  first 
week  in  June  I  am  not  certain  whether  they  raise  a  second  brood  in 
tlic  same  season. 

I  have  met  witli  Heveral  of  tliose  ncats,  always  in  a  retired,  though 
open,  part  of  the  woods,  nnd  very  similar  to  each  other. 

The  first  specimen  of  this  bird  taken  notice  of  by  European  writers 
was  transmitted,  with  many  others,  by  Mr.  William  fiartram  to  Mr. 
Edwards,  by  whom  it  w&^  drawn  and  etched  in  the  277th  plate  of  his 
Ornithology.  In  hi  remarks  on  this  bird,  he  seems  at  a  loss  to  deter- 
mine whether  it  is  not  tlie  Fine  Creeper  of  Catesby  ;*  a  difficulty 
occasioned  by  the  very  imperfect  coloring  and  figure  of  Catesby'a 
bird.  The  Pme  Creeper,  however,  is  a  much  larger  bird ;  is  of  a  dark 
yellow  olive  above,  and  orange  yellow  below  ;  has  all  the  habits  of  a 
Creeper,  alighting  on  the  trunks  of  the  pine-trees,  running  nimbly 
round  them,  and,  according  to  Mr.  Abbot,  builds  a  pensile  nest  I 
observed  thousands  of  them  in  the  pine  woods  of  Carolina  and  Georgia, 
where  they  are  resident,  but  have  never  met  with  them  in  any  part  of 
Pennsylvania. 

This  species  is  five  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  seven  and  a  half 
broad;  hind  head,  and  whole  back,  a  rich  green  olive;  crown  and 
front,  orange  yellow;  whole  lower  parts,  yellow,  except  the  vent- 
feathers,  which  are  white ;  bill,  black  above,  lighter  below  ;  lores,  black ; 
the  form  of  the  bill  approximates  a  little  to  that  of  the  Finch  ;  wings 
and  tail,  deep  brown,  broadly  edged  with  pale  slate,  which  makes  them 
appear  wholly  of  that  tint,  except  at  the  tips  ;  first  and  second  row 
of  coverts,  tipped  with  white  slightly  stained  with  yellow ;  the  three 
exterior  tail-feathers  have  their  inner  vanes  nearly  all  white ;  legs,  pale 
bluish;  feet,  dirty  yellow;  the  two  middle  tail-feathers  are  pale  slate. 
The  female  differ?  very  little  in  color  from  the  male. 

Tliis  species  vi^ry  much  resembles  the  Prothonotary  Warbler  of 
Pennant  and  Buffon ;  the  only  diflTerence  I  can  perceive,  on  comparing 
specimens  of  each,  is,  tliat  the  yellow  of  the  Prothonotary  is  more  of 
an  orange  tint,  a>i:d  the  bird  somewhat  larger. 

*  Catesbt,  Car.  vol.  i.  pi.  6L 


^1 


•t  I 


■** 


w 
ir 
fo 
m 
ar 
of 


BLUB-EYED  YELLOW  WARBLER. 


1« 


I 


BLUE-EYED   YELLOW    WARBLER. -SYLVIA    CITRINELLA 

—  Fio.  68. 

Vellow-Poll  Warbler,  ^i^Sf  ^°'  "■  N»-  I'ia.-Arct.  Zool  p  402  No  SM 
Lo  Figuier  ••'c  leU;.  Buff,  bit    v  n  fiUi        m„.»    ii  /■  P"^' ^^'*' *^'~~' 

aYLVlCOLA  JESTiyjl. -^MfiHton. 
Sylvia  «.tiva,  Bon,^p.  Synop.  p.  83.  - Sylvicola  ««iva.  Norlh.  Zool.  ii.  p.  212. 
This  ia  a  very  common  summer  species,  and  appears  almost  alwava 

Bnow-ba!l  shrul),  and  poplara,  searcliing  atler  small  croen  cateSL™' 
which  are  ita  principal  food.  It  has  a  few  shrill  noto8%tte3wUh 
emphasis,  but  not  deserving  the  name  of  song.    iraSvesTn  pln 

;£H '''°S.''*%^«'^''"'""u«  "''  ^^'y'  "^"d  dep^arts  aga^n  fo  the  sS 
about  the  middle  of  September.  According  to  Latham,  it  is  numeZiJ 
in  Guiana,  and  is  also  f^und  in  Canada.  Itis  a  very  sSiih  ?v  ^9^80? 
c.ous,and  familiar  little  bird;  is  often  seen  in  aTXut^' ZdeS* 
among  the  blossoms  of  fruit-trees  and  shrubberies ;  and?  on  fccoum 
of  Its  color,  18  very  noticeable.  lu.  nest  is  built  with  grearneatness 
generally  in  the  triangular  fork  of  a  small  shrub,  near  ?r  among  bS 
bushes.  Outwardly  it  is  composed  of  flax  or  ow,  in  thidt  c1rc„W 
layers,  strong  y  twisted  round'^the  twigs  that  rise  'through  its  5Si" 

stetk  of  f^rnThf  .*'"'■  ^""^  }^'  ^°^«*^"""y  ^"''^tanfe  from  S 
stalks  of  fern.  The  egga  are  four  or  five,  of  a  dull  white  thicklv 
sprinkled  near  tlie  great  end  with  specks  of  pale  brown  They  raS 
wo  broods  in  the  season.  This  littfo  bird,  likE  many  others  wilfS 
lameness  to  draw  you  away  from  its  nest,  stretchfnrouJ'Ws  3 
?nA^  -^"d  bendfing  down  his  tail,  until  it  trails  aW  the  branch 
and  flittenno,  feebly  along,  to  draw  you  after  him  ;  someSraee  loSff 
back,  to  see  if  you  are  folFowing  him,  and  returning  back  to  repeat  the 
same  mancBuvres,  in  order  to  attract  your  attenUon  The  rnJL  i« 
most  remarkable  for  this  practice.  "^  «nenuon.     1  he  male  is 

The  Blue-eyed  Warbler  is  five  inches  long,  and  seven  broad-  hind 
head  and  back  greenish  yellow ;  crown,  front  and  whole  lower 'pSte 
rich  golden  yellow  ;  breas'  and  sides,  streaked  laterally  with  dark  red ' 
wings  and  ta,^  deep  brown,  except  the  edges  of  the  &,  and  the 
inner  vanes  of  the  fatter,  which  are  yellow ;  the  tail  s  also  sShdv 
forked ;  legs  a  pale  clay  color;  bill  and  eyelids,  1  ght  blue     The  fe^ 

;;;  1'!°*^  "  ^r  ^""r  *  y^""'^'  ''"^^  ^«  ^^^^-^^s  ofred  "n  the  bre^ 
are  fewer  and  more  obscure.    Buffon  is  mistaken  in  supposing  No  1 
of  PI.  enl.  plate  Ivm.  to  be  the  female  of  this  species.  ^^^'°^  ^^'''  ' 
15 


170 


GOLDEN-WINGED  WARBLER. 


GOLDEN-WINGED  WARBLER.  -  SYLVIA  CHRYSOPTERA. 

—  Fia.  69. 

Edm  299  -Le  Figuier  aux  ailes  dorees,  Buff.  v.  311.-  LaOi.  f-J^-rZ^^^ 
rw  401  No  296  lb.  No.  296.  —  Motacilla  chrysoptera,  Turt.  St^st.  «•  897.  — 
Mot  flSS'frons-  YeTlow-fronted  Warbler,  Id.  601.  -  Krus  al.s  aure.s,  Bartram. 
D.  292.  —  Peale's  Museum,  No.  7010. 

VERMlVORJi  CIIRYSOPTEll/i.Swiiition. 
Sylvia  chrysoptera,  Bomp.  Syrurp.  p.  87. 

This  is  another  spring  passenger  through  the  United  States  to  Uje 
north  Tins  bird,  as  well  as  Fig.  67,  from  the  particular  form  of  its  bill. 
;S  raSr  o  be  separated  from  the  Warblers ;  or,  along  with  several 
o5fe^  of  the  same  kind,  might  be  arranged  as  a  sub-genera,  or  partic- 
ular  femily  of  that  t.-ibe  which  might  wiUi  propriety  be  ca  led  Worm- 
e^eS^l  MotacUla  va-mivora  of^Turton  having  th.  bill  exactly  o 
Suform  The  habits  of  these  birds  partake  a  good  deal  of  those  of 
Se  Souse -and,  in  their  language  and  action,  they  very  .much  re- 
Smblethem.  All  that  can  be  said  of  this  species  is,  that  it  appears 
ir  Pennsvlvania  for  a  few  days,  about  the  last  of  April  or  beginning 
of  M^r^aS  actively  among  the  young  leaves  and  opemng  buds, 

'^"ThyGS^en^S' wSer  is  five  inches  long,  and  seven  broad ; 
•  the  crown  SS^  ;  the  first  and  .econd  row  of  w.ng-coverta, 
of  theTamo  rich  yellow  ;  the  rest  of  the  upper  parts,  a  deep  ash,  or 
tfsircobr ;  tSslightly  forked  and,  u.  well  as  the  wmg  edged 
with  whitish ;  a  black  band  passes  through  the  eye,  and  is  sepamea 
from  rheVellow  of  the  crown,  by  a  fine  line  of  white  •,  chm  and  throa^ 
Sack  between  which  and  that  passing  through  the  eye  /"ns  ast  p 
Sf'white,  ^s  in  the  figure  •,  belly  ^nd  vent,  white  ;  biMlack,  gradually 
taperineto  a  sharp  point;  legs,  dark  ash ;  indes,  hazel. 

Pennant  has  described  Uiis  species  twice,  first,  aa  the  Golden- 
wiS  wSfler,  and,  immef.ately  after,  aB  the  YeUow-fronted 
wSler.    See  the  synonymes  at  the  beginnmg  of  this  article. 


BLACK-THROATED  BLUE  WARBLER. -SYLVIA 
CANADENSIS.  -  Fio.  70. 

No.' si.  -Pealt's  Mitseum,  No.  7222. 

STLyiCOL.a  CAJVJlDK^SIS. -By, Axntoti. 

Sylvia  Canadensis,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  84. 

,  „„  IMS  of .«.» birf.  u » -  i?rjri:°ii:'^r»*s 

in  the  monlh  or  Apni,  pasa  uum-.g. -.- 


1^ 


AMEHTCAIV    SPARROW  IIAVVK  j'^J 

hJbto?t?ebPar  fhfT"'"*Tj'"»«  '^"°^"  or  attended  to!  TbJ 
thie  peoSe  and'f^  „  '^':,'"l''^''''?'"'  "«  ™"'='^ '»°'«  interesting  tJ 
Se^^Tnd  unll«  th  J°°1'  '"^«tantial  reason  too,  because  more^lu^ 

Sirs: r"?h  17'"^ r r  °^ ^'"^«  irnmedilt'ly bektSlr cov^rto* 
£i.  hfl  M  'l*"  ^'T^  ''^"i' ''"''  ^™t,  white:  legs  and  feet  dfrTJel-* 
i  o?'„  i^'t'  '^^. ''^^^t  with  bristles  at  tlie  Sase.  The  fer  ^ifL 
more  of  a  dusky  ash  on  the  breast,  and,  in  some  specimei^      !rl? 


AMERICAN    SPARROW  HAWK. -FALCO   SPARVERIUS - 

Fio.  71.  — Female. 

^MCO  SPjlRFERms.~U„„Mvt. 

feS  Jf^ra„dlS.^'^"''^P'^^^^^^^       '^'^''^^'^"^  ^'°th  male  and 

Son      A«/  A-   P®5^<5t  8P®"™^»«  o^  each  may  coino  into  my  dos- 

—  J— i-^v,  uic  aoiiur  oi  procedence, 


i;i 


178 


AMERICAN  SPARROW  HAWK. 


in  the  present  instance,  is  given  to  the  female  of  this  upecies ;  both 
because  she  is  the  most  courageous,  the  largest  and  handsomest  of 
the  two,  best  ascertained,  and  less  subject  to  change  of  color  than  the 
male,  who  will  require  some  further  examination,  and  more  observa- 
tion, before  we  can  venture  to  introduce  him. 

This  bird  is  a  constant  resident  in  almost  every  part  of  the  Umted 
States,  particularly  in  the  states  north  of  Maryland.  In  the  Southern 
States  there  is  a  smaller  species  found,  which  is  destitute  of  the  black 
spots  on  the  head ;  the  legs  are  long  and  very  slender,  and  the  wings 
liffht  blue.  This  has  been  supposed,  by  some,  to  be  the  male  ot  the 
present  species ;  but  this  is  an  error.  The  eye  of  the  present  species 
IS  dusky;  that  of  the  smaller  species  a  brilliant  crange;  Uie  former 
las  the  tail  rounded  at  the  end,  the  latter  slightly /orW.  Such  essen- 
tial differences  never  take  place  between  two  individuals  of  the  same 
species.  It  ought,  however,  to  be  remarked,  that  in  all  the  figures  and 
descriptions  I  have  hitherto  met  with  of  the  bird  now  before  us,  the 
iris  is  represented  of  a  bright  golden  color ;  but,  in  all  the  specimens  1 
have  shot,  I  uniformly  found  the  eye  very  dark,  almost  black,  resem- 
bling a  globe  of  black  glass.  No  doubt  the  golden  color  of  the  iris 
would  give  the  figure  of  the  bird  a  more  striking  appearance ;  bu^  in 
works  of  natural  history,  to  sacrifice  truth  to  mere  picturesque  effect 
is  detestable,  though,  I  fear,  but  too  often  put  in  practice. 

The  nest  of  this  species  is  usually  built  in  a  hollow  tree ;  generally 
pretty  high  up,  where  the  top,  or  a  large  limb,  has  been  broken  off.  1 
have  never  seen  its  eggs ;  but  have  been  told  that  tlie  female  gener- 
ally lays  four  or  five,  which  are  of  a  light  brownish  yellow  color,  spot- 
ted with  a  darker  tint ;  the  young  are  fed  on  grasshoppers,  mice,  and 
small  birds,  the  usual  food  of  the  parents. 

The  habits  and  manners  of  this  bird  are  well  known.  It  flies  rather 
irregularly,  occasionally  suspending  itself  in  the  air,  hovering  over  a 
particular  spot  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  then  shooting  off  in  anoUier 
direction.  It  perches  on  tlie  top  of  a  dead  tree  or  pole,  in  the  middle 
of  R  field  or  meadow,  and,  as  it  alights,  shuts  its  long  wmgs  so  sud- 
denly, tliat  they  seem  instantly  to  disappear ;  it  sits  here  m  an  almost 
perpendicular  position,  sometimes  for  an  hour  at  a  time,  frequently 
jerking  its  tail,  and  reconnoitring  the  ground  below,  in  every  direc- 
tion, for  mice,  lizards,  &c.  It  approaches  the  far'^-house,  particularly 
in  the  morning,  skulking  about  the  barn-yard  for  mice  or  young  chick- 
ens. It  frequently  plunges  into  a  thicket  after  small  birds,  as  if  by 
random,  but  always  with  a  particular,  and  generally  a  fatal,  aim.  One 
day  I  observed  a  bird  of  this  species  perched  on  the  highest  top  of  a 
large  poplar,  on  the  skirts  of  the  wood,  and  was  m  the  act  of  raising 
the  <Tun  to  my  eye,  when  he  swept  down,  with  the  rapidity  ot  an  ar- 
row," into  a  thicket  of  briers,  about  thirty  yards  off,  where  I  shot  him 
dead,  and,  on  coming  up,  found  the  nmall  Field  Sparrow  (Fig.  72)  quiv- 
ering in  his  grasp.  Both  oiir  aims  nad  been  taken  m  tiie  same  instant, 
and,  unfortunately  for  him,  both  were  fatal.  It  is  particularly  fond  of 
watching  alonir  hedge-rows,  and  in  orchards,  where  those  small  birds 
represented  in'the  same  plate  usually  resort.  When  grasshoppers  are 
plenty,  they  form  a  considerable  part  of  its  food. 
Though  small  snakes,  mice,  lizards,  &,c.,  be  favorite  morsels  with 


AMERICAN   SPARROW  H 


m 


this  active  bird  yet  we  are  not  to  suppose  i'  tatngether  destitute  of 
delicacy  ,n  feed  ng.  It  will  seldom  or  never  eat  of  any  thing  that  it 
has  not  Itself  killed,  and  even  that,  if  not  (as  epicures  would  term  il) 
m  good  easing  order,  is  sometimes  rejected.  A  very  respectable  friend 
through  the  medium  of  Mr.  Bartram,  informs  me,  that  one  morning  he 
observed  one  of  these  Hawks  dart  down  on  the  ground,  and  seife  a 
mouse,  which  he  carried  to  a  fence  post,  where,  after  examinin-r  it  for 
some  time,  he  left  it,  and,  a  little  while  after,  pounced  upon  another 
mouse,  which  he  instantly  carried  off  to  his  nest,  in  the  hollow  of  a 
tree  hard  by  The  gentleman,  anxious  to  know  why  the  Hawk  had 
rejected  the  first  mouse,  went  up  to  it,  and  found  it  to  be  almost  cov- 
ered with  hoe,  and  greatly  emaciated!  Here  was  not  only  delicacy 
of  taste,  but  sound  and  prudent  reasoning :- If  I  cany  this  to  my 
nest,  thought  he,  it  will  fill  it  with  vermin,  and  hardly  be  worth 

;«7u^?"®/n^^  .'^ave  a  particular  antipathy  to  this  bird,  and  frequently 
insult  It  by  following  and  imitating  its  notes  so  exactly,  as  to  deceive 
even  those  well  acquamtod  with  both.  In  return  for  all  this  abuse,  the 
Hawk  contents  himself  with,  now  and  tiien,  feasting  on  the  plumpest 
of  his  persecutors,  who  are,  therefore,  in  perpetual  dread  of  him ;  and 
yet,  through  some  strange  infatuation,  or  from  fear  that,  if  they  lose 
sight  ot  him,  he  may  attack  them  unawares,  the  Sparrow  Hawk  no 
folbw  "^PP^*"  ^**^"  ^^®  '^^*™  *^  &'^®"'  ^^^  ^^^  whole  posse  of  Jays 

The  female  of  this  species,  which  is  here  faithfully  represented 
from  a  very  beautiful  living  specimen,  furnished  by  a  particular  friend 
18  eleven  inches  long,  and  twenty-three  from  tip  to  tip  of  the  expanded 
wings.  The  cere  and  legs  are  yellow ;  bill,  blue,  tipped  with  black ; 
space  round  the  eye,  greenish  blue:  iris,  deep  dusky;  head,  bluish 
ash;  crown,  rufous;  seven  spots  of  black  on  a  white  ground  surround 
the  head,  m  the  manner  represented  in  the  figure  ;  whole  upper  parts 
reddish  bay,  transversely  streaked  with  black;  primary  and  secondary 
quiils,  black,  spotted  on  their  inner  vanes  with  brownish  white ;  whole 
lower  parts,  yellowish  white,  marked  with  longitudinal  streaks  of 
brown,  except  the  chin,  vent,  and  femoral  feathers,  which  are  white; 

.u  '^'f  "\^}'^  ^i  ^}^^^  species  (which  is  an  inch  and  a  half  shorter,  has 
the  shoulder  of  the  wings  blue,  and  also  the  black  marks  on  the  head, 
but  IS,  in  other  respects,  very  differently  marked  from  the  female)  will 
appear  in  an  early  part  of  the  present  work,  with  such  other  particu- 
lars  as  may  be  thought  worthy  of  communicating.* 

•  See  description  of  male,  and  nole,  in  a  subsequent  part  of  this  work. 
15* 


mi  i 


|ii   1 


ll  ■';: 


174  FIELD  SPARROW. 


HELD    SPARROW.*  — FRINGILLA   PUSILLA.  —  Fio.  72. 

Passer  agrestis,  Bartram,  p.  291.  —  Peo/e'*  Muieum,  No.  6fi60, 

EMBERJZA   PUSILL/t.  — J kUDivt,  Sit.  MBB. 

Fringilla  pusilla,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  110. 

This  is  the  smallest  of  all  our  Sparrows,  and,  in  Pennsylvania,  is 
generally  migratory.  It  arrives  early  in  April,  frequents  dry  fields 
covered  with  long  grass,  builds  a  small  nest  on  the  ground,  generally 
at  the  foot  of  a  brier;  lines  it  with  horse  hair;  lays  six  eggs,  so 
thickly  sprinkled  with  ferruginous,  as  to  appear  altogether  of  that  tint; 
and  raises  two,  and  often  three,  broods  in  a  season.  It  is  more 
frequently  found  in  the  middle  of  fields  and  orchards  than  any  of  the 
other  species,  which  usually  lurk  along  hedge-rows.  It  has  no  song, 
but  a  kind  of  cheruping,  not  much  difierent  from  the  chirpings  of  a 
cricket  Towards  fall  they  assemble  in  loose  flocks,  in  orchards  and 
corn-fields,  in  search  of  the  seeds  of  various  rank  weeds ;  and  are  then 
very  numerous.  As  the  weather  becomes  severe,  with  deep  snow, 
they  disappear.  In  the  lower  parts  of  North  and  South  Carolina,  I 
found  this  species  in  multitudes  in  the  months  of  January  and  Febru- 
ary. When  disturbed,  they  take  to  the  bushes,  clustering  so  close 
together,  that  a  dozen  may  easily  be  shot  at  a  time.  I  continued  to 
see  them  equally  numerous  through  the  whole  lower  parts  of  Georgia; 
from  whence,  according  to  Mr.  Abbot,  tbey  all  disappear  early  in  the 

None  of  our  birds  have  been  more  imperfectly  described  than  that 
family  of  the  Finch  tribe  usually  called  Sparrows.  They  have  been 
considered  as  too  insignificant  for  particular  notice,  yet  they  possess 
distinct  characters,  and  some  of  them  peculiarities  well  worthy  of 
notice.  They  are  innocent  in  their  habits,  subsisting  chiefly  on  the 
small  seeds  of  wild  plants,  and  seldom  injuring  the  property  of  the 
farmer.  In  the  dreary  season  of  winter,  some  of  them  enliven  the 
prospect  by  hopping  familiarly  about  our  doors,  humble  pensioners  on 
the  sweepings  of  the  threshold. 

The  presen  species  has  never  before,  to  my  knowledge,  been 
figured.  It  is  five  inches  and  a  quarter  long,  and  eight  inches  broad ; 
bill  and  legs,  a  reddish  cinnamon  color ;  upper  part  of  the  head,  deep 
chestnut,  divided  by  a  slight  streak  of  drab,  widening  as  it  goes  back ; 
cheeks,  line  over  the  eye,  breast,  and  sides  under  the  wings,  a  brownish 
clay  color,  lightest  on  the  chin,  and  darkest  on  the  ear-feathers ;  a 

*  Tlic  American  DiirUing  Finches  are  most  puzzling,  the  forms  being  constantly 
mtermediate,  and  never  assuming  the  true  type.  Mr.  Swainson  has  also  felt  this, 
and  has  been  obliged  to  form  a  new  genus,  to  contain  one  portion  nearly  madmissi- 
bie  to  any  of  the  others.  The  present  species  will  rank  as  allied  nearest  to  the 
Ileed  lUniiin"-  of  Europe,  E.  schaeniculus.  Another,  mentioned  neither  by  Wilson 
nor  Honapnrto,  has  been  added  by  the  over-land  expedition,— EniAmza  pallida, 
Clay-colored  Hunting,  Mw.  and  Richard.  North.  Zool.  It  approaches  nearest  to 
E.  socialis,  but  difl'ers  in  wanting  the  bright  rufous  crown,  and  having  the  ear- 
feathers  brown,  margined  above  and  below  with  a  dark  edge.  — Ed. 


TREE   SPARROW. 


ITS 


small  streak  of  brown  at  the  lower  angle  of  the  bill ;  back,  streaked 
with  black,  drab,  and  bright  bay,  the  latter  being  generally  centred 
with  the  former ;  rump,  dark  drab,  or  cinereous ;  wings,  dusky  black 
the  primaries  edged  with  whitish,  the  secondaries  bordered  with  bright 
bay;  greater  wmg-coverts,  black,  edged  and  broadly  tipped  with 
brownish  white;  tail,  dusky  black,  edged  with  clay  color:  male  and 
female  nearly  alike  in  plumage;  the  chestnut  on  the  crown  of  the 
male  rather  brighter. 


TREE    SPARROW. -FRINGILLA    ARBOREA.-Fio.  73. 

Le  Soulciet  Bu/:  iii.  500.  —  Moineau  de  Canada,  Briss.  iii.  101.  Pl  ent  223  — 

EMBERIZA    C-aMADEJ^SIS.  —  3yyt.imon. 

Fringilla  Canadensis,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  109.  _  Emberiza  Canadensis,  North.  Zool 

II.  p.  "Ibt. 

This  Sparrow  is  a  native  of  the  north,  who  takes  up  his  winter 
quarters  m  Pennsylvania,  and  most  of  the  Northern  States,  as  well  as 
n?Nnl''^^^''®"'i'f"""""^''-  H«a™ves  here  about  the  beginning 
with  f hTl^""'  ^"t'T^'."'  ''^''•"  ^^""^y  ^"  AP"1 5  associates  in  flocks 
with  the  Snow  Birds;  frequents  sheltered  hollows,  thickets,  and 
hedge-rows  near  springs  of  water;  and  has  a  low,  warbling  note 
scarcely  audible  at  the  distance  of  twenty  or  thirty  yards.  ^If  S 
turbed,  he  takes  to  trees,  like  the  White-throated  Spa^ow,  but  contrary 

!h•*^^''''^l''^???'^  •'^  *'^"  °th^'«'  ^^^"  ^'^  i"'^""ed  rathe'r  to  dive  into 
thicket^  Mr.  Edwards  has  erroneously  represented  this  as  the  female 
of  the  Mountain  Sparrow;  but  that  judicious  and  excellent  naturalist. 
Air  lennant,  has  given  a  more  correct  account  of  it,  and  informs  us 
that  It  inhabits  the  country  bordering  on  Hudson's  Bay  during  sum- 
mer; comes  to  Severn  settlement  in  May ;  advances  farther  north  to 
breed ;  and  returns  in  autumn  on  its  way  southward.  It  also  visits 
JNewioundland.* 

»J^*l'""rn*'*'  °"'"  *'^"  naturalists,  this  species  has  been  confounded 
with  the  Chipping  Sparrow,  (Fig.  75,)  which  it  very  much  resembles, 
but  IS  larger  and  handsomer,  and  is  never  found  with  us  in  summer, 
ihe  former  departs  for  the  south  about  the  same  time  that  the  latter 
arrives  trom  the  north  ;  and,  from  this  circumstance,  and  their  general 
resemblance,  has  arisen  the  mistake. 

The  Tree  Sparrow  is  six  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  nine  and  a 
halt  in  extent;  the  whole  upper  part  of  the  head  is  of  a  bright  reddish 
chestnut,  sometimes  slightly  skirted  with  gray ;  from  the  nostrils,  over 
the  eye^  passes  a  white  strip,  fading  into  pale  ash,  as  it  extends  back ; 
Bides  ot  the  neck,  chm,  and  breast,  very  pale  ash;  the  centre  of  tlie 
breast  marked  *ith  an  obscure  spot  of  dark  brown ;  from  the  lower 

•  Arctic  Zoology,  vol.  ii.  p.  373, 


mm 


M. 


I 


m 


.SO.\a   HPARilCW. 


angle  of  the  bill  proceeil:!  a  eli-ilit  streak  of  chestnut ;  sides,  under  the 
wines,  pale  brown ;  back,  handsomely  streaked  with  pale  drab,  bright 
bay,  and  black;  lower  part  of  the  back  and  rump,  brownish  drab; 
lesser  wing-coverts,  black,  edged  with  pale  ash  ;  wings,  black,  broad  y 
edged  with  bright  bay ;  the  first  and  second  row  of  coverts,  t>pped  with 
pure  white ;  tail,  black,  forked,  and  exteriorly  edged  with  dull  white ; 
belly  and  vent,  brownish  white ;  bill,  black  "^bove,  yellow  below ;  logs, 
a  brownish  clay  color ;  feet,  black.  The  female  is  about  J^lf  an  "ich 
shorter;  the  chestnut  or  bright  bay  on  tl  e  wings,  back,  and  crown,  is 
less  brilliant ;  and  the  white  on  the  coverts  narrower,  and  not  so  pure. 
These  are  all  the  differences  I  can  perceive.* 


SONG    SPARROW.  — FRINGILLA    MELODIA.— Fio.  74. 

Fasciated  Finch  ?    Arct.  Zool.  p.  37.5.  No.  252.  -  Ptale^s  Museum,  No.  6673. 

EMBERIZ^I^  JtfEiOD/j*.— Jari'inb. 

Bonap.  8yiu>r-  P-  108. -The  Song  Sparrow,  Aud.  pi.  25,  Om.  Biog.  i.  p.  126. 

So  nearly  do  many  species  of  our  Sparrows  approximate  to  each 
other  in  plumage,  and  so  imperfectly  have  they  been  taken  notice  o^ 
that  it  is  absolutely  impssible  to  say,  witli  certainty,  whether  the 
present  species  has  ever  been  described  or  not  And  yet,  ot  all  our 
Sparrows,  this  is  the  most  numerous,  the  most  generally  diffused  over 
the  United  State's,  and  by  far  the  earliest,  sweetest,  and  most  lasting 
songster.  It  m  ly  be  said  to  be  partially  migratoiy,  many  passing  to 
the  south  in  the  month  of  November ;  and  many  of  them  still  remam- 
ine  with  us,  in  low,  close,  sheltered  meadows  rnd  swamps,  during  the 
whole  of  winter.  It  is  the  first  singing  bird  in  spring,  taking  prece- 
dence even  of  the  Pewee  and  Blue-Bird.  Its  song  continues  occa- 
bionally  during  the  whole  summer  and  fall,  and  is  sonietimes  heard 
even  in  the  depth  of  winter.  The  notes,  or  chant,  are  short,  but  very 
sweet,  resembling  the  beginning  of  the  Canary's  song,  and  frequently 
repeated,  generally  from  the  branches  of  a  bush  or  small  tree,  where 
itSts  chanting  for  an  hour  together.  It  is  fond  of  frequenting  the 
borders  of  rivers,  meadows,  swamps,  and  such  like  watery  places ;  and, 
if  wounded,  and  unable  to  fly,  will  readily  take  to  the  water,  and  swim 
with  considerable  rapidity.  In  the  great  cypress  swamps  ot  fte 
Southern  States,  in  the  depth  of  winter,  I  observed  multitudes  of  these 
birds  mixed  with  several  other  species ;  for  these  places  appear  to  be 
the  grand  winter  rendezvous  of  almost  all  our  Sparrows.   I  have  tound 

•  Peculiar  to  America,  and  wc  should  say,  goinr  more  off  from  the  group  than 
F  nocialis  VViis    as  mentioned  by  Swainsoii  in  llie  Northern  Zoology.  —  t^D. 

t Thavc  bee  puzzTeTwhere  lo^Mce  .his  bird -in  Emhenza,  or  as  a  sub-genu, 
of  t  There  seems  much  difference  in  the  form  of  the  bill,  though  . I  has  "  a  rud.- 
mentof  the  knob."  I  have  been  unable  to  oblam  "  .r/=.''»>^^i"^^?!"P!:'ED 
Mr.  Swainson  thinks  it  connects  the  American  Bunting  with  his  Zonotnclua.  —  bD. 


CHIPPING   SPARROW. 


m 


this  bird  in  every  distnct  of  the  United  States,  from  Canada  to  the 
kni  "r  T^''"'"°^^"°'"^*'^5  ^"t  Mr.  Abbot  infonns  me  that  he 

5nH^^?L""^^  °"°  °'  ^^°  'P'"''"^  ^"t  '^™'^*"  >"  that  part  of  Georgia 
auniTg  the  summer.  "igm 

nnl^  k  Sr^nfPf^'^  ^""'''  '"  **'''  i?"^""^'  ""'^'^'-  ^  t"ft  of  grass  ;  the 
nro  fnnl  fl  ""^  S."^',  f^^  ^f^'  ^"^  """^^  ^'^^  ^orse  hair ;  the  eggs 
whil  J"^^'  S'^^u^  I?!"^^*^  ^^th  spots  of  reddish  brown,  on  a 

hrn,S,  i?"^?'""''  '''"''^r  Z^'^\^^^^^  ?  ^^""01  interrupted,  raises  three 
fl^S^h  i^^/^?;^""-  ,  ^  have  found  his  nest  with  young  as  early  as 
J, #4"^  ^^''h  T^^^  ^'■^^'^  ''"  ^^"^  ^2th  of  August  What  is  sin- 
SS'  «^rne  bird  often  fixes  his  nest  in  n  cccLu-tree,  five  or  six  fiet 
fiom  the  gi-ound.  Supposing  this  to  hnve  been  a  variety,  or  different 
species,  I  have  examined  the  bird,  nest,  and  egcjs,  with  particular  ca^e 
several  times    but  found  no  difference.    I  irave  oEed  Se  same 

amon'"tS  '^'^'^  '"  ^'  Red-winged  Blackbird,  which  sometimes  buSs 
among  tlie  grass,  as  well  as  on  alder  bushes. 

This  species  is  six  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  cicrht  and  a  half  in 

lfnPof'nT^-J"^.°^/^'  ^^^^^^'^'^  chestimt,  divided  lateral  by  ; 
ine  of  pale  dirty  white  ;  spot  at  each  nostril,  yellow  ochre  ;  line  ovei 

SeTt'o?fr:!f  ^h'^^'/'^^"'"^^**''  Btreak'from  the  lowr  mandi! 
ble,  slit  of  the  mouth,  and  posterior  angle  of  the  eye,  dark  chestnut  • 
breast,  and  sides  under  the  wings,  thickly  marked  VitliTong-pSed 
spoteof  dark  chestnut,  centred  with  black,  and  runnin-  in  cEs 
be  ly  white ;  vent,  vellow  ochre,  streaked  with  brown ;  back" sSeJ 

tw?midl^S'^'^P'/'T^'^i  *"'''1'°""'  ^^""'l^d'at  the  end,  the 
two  middle  feathers  streaked  down  tlieir  centres  with  black;  iejrs 
flesh  colored  ;  wing-coverts,  black,  broadly  edged  withbav  and  tinned' 
wij  yellowish  white;  wings,  da^k  Vo/n.    ^The  femaS' is  scarS 


CHIPPING  SPARROW. -FRINGILLA  SOCIALIS.-Fic.  75. 

l.ittle  House  Sparrow,  or  Chi 
—  Feeders  Museum,  No.  657 


Passer  domeslicus,  The  Little  House  Sparrow,  or  Chipping  Bird,  Bartram,  p.  291 . 


Fringilia  socialis,  Bonap.  Syrwp.  p.  109. 

This  species,  though  destitute  of  the  musical  talents  of  the  former, 

SrS^P"'!?"'''^  #l"f'^Hy  i"""^"'  ''^'^^"^^  ™o^«  fa"''li^r,  and  even 
domestic.  He  inhabits,  dunng  summer,  the  city,  in  common  with 
man  building  m  the  branches  of  tlie  tree's  with  wticn  our  stTeetsTnd 
fvnn  n-l^i!  °™^'"f  t^l?  ^^^  gleaning  up  crumbs  from  our  yards,  and 
even  our  doors,  to  feed  his  more  advanced  young  with.    I  have  known 

Zip  f£f  ft  -1  ''"^"^*  "■l^^'^'^y  ^''^'•y  '^'^y-  <i"^'"g  ^  ^^hole  summer, 
whUe  the  family  were  at  dinneij  under  a  piazza,  frontinn-  the  warden 


178 


SNOW   BIRD. 


and  pick  up  the  crumbs  that  were  thrown  to  him.  This  sociable 
habit,  which  continues  chiefly  during  the  summer,  is  a  singular  char- 
acteristic. Towards  the  end  of  sununer  he  takes  to  the  fields  and 
hedges,  until  the  weather  becomes  severe,  with  srtbw,  when  ho  departs 

for  the  south.  ,    .  j     u    u 

The  Chipping  Bird  builds  his  nest  most  commonly  in  a  cedar  bush, 
and  lines  it  thickly  with  cow  hair.  The  female  lays  four  or  five  eggs, 
of  a  light  blue  color,  with  a  few  dots  of  purplish  black  near  the  great 

This  species  may  easily  be  distinguished  from  the  four  preceding 
ones  by  his  black  bill  and  frontlet,  and  by  his  familiarity  in  Mliiner; 
yet,  in  the  months  of  August  and  September,  when  thev  moult  their 
feathers,  the  black  on  the  front,  and  partially  on  the  bill,  disappears. 
The  youn<y  are  also  without  the  black  during  the  first  season. 

The  Chipping  Sparrow  is  five  inches  and  a  quarter  long,  and  eight 
inches  in  extent ;  frontlet,  black ;  chin,  and  line  over  the  eye,  whitish ; 
crown,  chestnut ;  breast  and  sides  of  the  neck,  pale  ash ;  bill,  in  win- 
ter, black;  in  summer,  the  lower  mandible  flesh  colored;  rump,rlark 
ash ;  belly  and  vent,  white ;  back,  variegated  with  black  and  bright 
bay;  wings,  black,  broadly  edged  with  bright  chestnut ;  tail,  dusky, 
forked,  and  slightly  edged  with  pale  ochre ;  legs  and  feet,  a  pale  flesh 
color.  The  female  diflers  in  having  less  black  on  the  frontlet,  and  the 
bay  duller.    Both  lose  the  black  front  in  moulting. 


SNOW  BIRD.  — FRINGILLA  HUDSONIA/ -  Fia.  76. 

Fringilla  Hudsonia,  Turion,  Syst.  >•  5C8.  —  Emberiza  hyemalis,  Id. US}.  — Lath.  i. 
6^.-Catesh.\.k.-Arct.Zoot.  p.  359,  No.  223.  -  Passer  mval.s,  Bartram, 
p.  idl.  —  Peale's  Museum,  No.  6532. 

FRIJfaiLLA  HYEMALIS.  — Urnfs.vi. 

Fringilla  hyemalis,  Bonav-  Symp.  p.  109.  -  ^bw/..  ZooZ.  ii.  p.  269.  -  The  Snow 
^        '  Bird,  A»<rf.  pi.  13,  Om.  Bio^.  I.  p.  72. 

This  well-known  species,  small  and  insignificant  as  it  may  appear, 
is  by  far  the  most  numerous,  as  well  as  the  most  extensively  diasenu- 
nated,  of  all  the  feathered  tribes  that  visit  us  from  the  frozen  regions 
of  the  north,  — their  migrations  extending  from  the  arctic  circle,  and, 
probably,  beyond  it,  to  the  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  spreading 
over  tlic  whole  breadtli  of  the  United  States,  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
to  Louisiana ;  how  much  farther  westward,  I  am  unable  to  say.  About 
the  20th  of  October,  tliey  make  their  first  appearance  in  those  parts  nt 
I'ennsylvania  east  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains.  At  first  they  are 
most  generally  seen  on  the  borders  of  woods  among  the  falling  and 
decayed  leaves,  in  loose  flocks  of  thirty  or  forty  together,  always 
taking  to  the  trees  when  disturbed.    Aa  the  weather  sets  m  colder, 

*  Niocdia  of  firsl  edition. 


SNOW  BIRD. 


179 


they  approach  nearer  the  farm-house  and  villages ;  and  on  the  apnear- 
ance  of,  what  is  usually  called,  falling  weather,  assemble  in  larger 
flocks,  and  seem  doubly  diligent  in  searching  for  food.  This  increased 
activity  18  generally  a  sure  prognostic  of  a  storm.  When  deep  snows 
cover  the  ground,  they  become  almost  half  domesticated.  They  col- 
lect about  the  barn,  stables,  and  other  out-houses,  spread  over  the 
yard,  and  even  round  the  steps  of  the  door;  not  only  in  the  country 
and  villages,  but  m  the  heart  of  our  large  cities ;  crowding  around  the 
threshold  early  m  the  morning,  gleaning  up  the  crumbs ;  appearing 
very  lively  and  familiar.  They  have  also  recourse,  at  this  severe 
season,  when  the  face  of  the  earth  is  shut  up  from  them,  to  the  seeds 
ot  many  kinds  of  weeds  that  still  rise  ahove  the  snow,  in  corners  of 
fteJds,  and  low,  sheltered  situations,  along  the  borders  of  creeks  and 
tences,  where  they  associate  with  several  species  of  Sparrows,  particu- 
larly those  represented  in  Nos.  72,  73,  and  74.  They  are,  at  this  time, 
easily  caught  with  almost  any  kind  of  trap ;  are  generaUy  fat,  and.  it 
IS  said,  are  excellent  eating.  /      .,      u, « 

I  cannot  but  considei  this  bird  as  the  most  numerous  of  its  tribe 
of  any  within  the  United  States.    From  the  northern  parts  of  the 
District*  of  Maine  to  the  O^eechee  River  in  Georgia,  — a  distance, 
by  the  circuitous  route  m  which  I  travelled,  of  more  than  1800  miles 
—  I  never  passed  a  day,  and  scarcely  a  mile,  witliout  seeing  numbers' 
ot  these  birds,  and  frequently  large  flocks  of  several  thousands.  Other 
travellers  witli  whom  I  conversed,  who  had  come  from  Lexington,  in 
Kentucky,  through  Virginia,  also  declared  that  they  found  these  birds 
numerous  along  the  whole  road.    It  should  be  observed  that  the  road- 
sides are  their  favorite  haunts,  where  many  rank  weeds,  that  grow 
along  the  fences,  furnish  them  with  ford,  and  the  road  with  gravel. 
In  the  vicinity  of  places  where  they  were  most  numerous,  I  observed* 
the  Small  Hawk,  represented  in  No.  71,  and    several  others  of 
his  tribe,  watching  their  opportunity,  or  hovering  cautiously  around, 
making  an  occasional  sweep  among  them,  and  retiring  to  the  bare 
branches  of  an  old  cypress  to  feed  on  their  victims.    In  the  montli  of 
April,  when  the  weather  begins  to  be  warm,  they  are  observed  to 
retreat  to  the  woods,  and  to  prefer  the  shaded  sides  of  hills  and  thick- 
ets ;  at  which  time  the  males  warble  out  a  few  very  low,  sweet  notes 
and  are  almost  perpetually  pursuing  and  fighting  with  each  otlier! 
About  the  20th  of  April,  they  take  their  leave  of  our  humble  regions, 
^n?  retire  to  the  north  and  to  the  high  ranges  of  the  Alleghany,  to 
build  their  nests,  and  rear  their  young.    In  some  of  those  ranges,  in 
the  interior  of  Virginia,  and  northward,  about  the  waters  of  the  west 
branch  of  the  Susquehanna,  they  breed  in  great  numbers.    The  nest 
IS  fixed  in  the  ground,  or  among  the  grass,  sometimes  several  being 
within  a  small  distance  of  each  other.    According  to  the  observations 
of  the  gentlenien  residing  at  Hudson  Bay  Factory,  tliey  arrive  there 
about  the  beginning  of  June,  stay  a  week  or  two,  and  proceed  farther 
north  to  breed.    They  return  to  that  settlement  in  the  autumn,  on 
their  way  to  the  south. 

In  some  parts  of  New  England,  I  found  the  opinion  pretty  general 
that  the  Snow  Bird  in  summer,  is  transformed  into  the  Small  Chipping 

*  Now  State  of  Maine. 


li'k. 


I 


180 


PINE  PINCH. 


Sparrow,  which  wo  find  so  common  in  that  ^^^''\'^^J±%\" 
rcprrsented  in  No.  75.  I  had  convinced  a  g«n«f,'^'^"  °*  ^^.f  J^^^^ 
of  his  n.istako  in  thiH  matter,  by  taking  him  to  ^^c  hoiiae  ot  a  Mr. 
Ga  tier  there,  who  amuses  himself  by  keeping  a  great  number  of  na- 
t  ve  r^  wXs  foreign,  birds.  This  was  in  the  monUi  ot  July,  and  the 
Ew  B7rd  ajpea  ed'^there  in  Uio  same  colored  plumage  he  usuaUy 
haL  Several  individuals  of  the  Chipping  Sparrow  were  also  r  ho 
sa^le  apartment  The  evidence  was,  therefore,  irresistible  ;  but,  as 
harnS  same  proofs  to  offer  to  the  eye  in  New  England,  I  had  not 

^heTersfbe  something  in  the  temperature  of  the  blood  or  consti- 
tut  on  of  Th  s  bird,  which  unfits  it  for  residing,  during  summer,  m  the 
bwe^  parts  of  tlic  United  States,  as  the  country  here  abounds  with  a 
ereat  variety  of  food,  of  which,  during  its  stay,  it  appears  to  be  re- 
markabl V  fond.  Or,  perhaps,  its  habit  of  associating  m  such  numbers 
to  breed  and  building  its  nest  with  so  little  precaution,  may,  to  injure 
S^Sy,  miS  a  solitary  region,  far  from  the  intruding  footsteps 

°^The"Snow  Bird  is  six  inches  long,  and  nine  in  extent;  the  head, 
neck  and  upper  parts  of  the  breast,  body,  and  wings,  are  ot  a  deep 
slate  co"or :  t^ie  plumage  sometimes  skirted  wiUi  brown,  which  is  Uie  , 
color  of  the  young  birds ;  the  lower  parts  of  the  breast,  the  whole  be  y, 
i  vent  are  pi  r5  white;  the  three  secondary  qu  11-feathers  next  the 
body  are^eXed  with  bro^n,  the  primaries  with  white  ;  the  tail  is  dusky 
sETliUle  forked,  the  twi  exttrior  feathers  -holly  white,  w^^^^^^^ 
flirted  out  as  it  flies,  and  appear  ^^en  very  nromment ,  Uie  b^^^^^^^^ 
are  of  a  reddish  flesh  color ;  tiie  eye,  bluisfi  black.    The  f«m'K'«  ^/"^^^^ 
from  the  male  in  being  considerably  more  brown.    In  the  depth  of 
Ser  thrite  color'of  the  male  becomes  more  deep,  and  much 
purer,  the  brown  disappearing  nearly  altogether. 


PINE  FINCH.  — FRINGILLA   PINUS.  —  Fio.  77. 

PtaWi  Museuvi,  No.  6577. 

CARDUELtS  f>/JVt/S.  — SwAimow. 

Fringilla  pinus,  (sub-genus  Carduelis,)  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  111. 

This  little  northern  stranger  visits  ub  in  the  month  of  November, 
and  seeks  the  seeds  of  the  black  alder  on  the  borders  of  swamps 
creeks  and  rivulets.  As  the  weather  becomes  more  severe,  and  the 
seeds  k  the  Pinus  Canadensis  are  fully  ripe,  these  birds  collect  m 
Wer  flocks  and  take  up  their  residence  almost  exclusively  among 
StreSlSe  gardens  of  Bush  Hill,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Phila- 
delphia, a  flock  of  two  or  three  hundred  of  these  birds  have  regularly 
wintered  many  years ;  where  a  noble  avenue  of  i-me-trees,  and  walks 
Covered  wTfine,  white  gravel,  furnish  them  with  abundance  through 
^Iwinter.    Early  in  M^ch.  they  disappear,  either  to  the  north  or  to 


PINE  FINCH. 


181 


the  pme  woods  that  cover  many  lesser  anges  of  the  Alleehanv 
Wlulo  hero  Uioy  are  often  so  tame  as  to  alio/ you  *o  walk  liW" 
lew  yards  of  the  spot  where  a  whole  flock  of  them  are  sitt  ng  They 
fl  tter  among  Uio  branches,  frequently  hanging  by  the  cfncs  and 
uttermg  a  note  almost  exactly  like  that  of  Uie  Goldfinch  fFjSTl 
nave  i,ot  a  doubt  but  this  bird  appears  in  a  richer  dress  '.h  summer  in 
Uiose  p  aces  where  ho  breodB,  as  ho  has  so  very  great  a  resemWancS 

The  lengtli  of  this  species  is  four  inches;  breadth,  eight  inches- 

stEeKith  btcJ"'^'  '^'\r'l^'  '^"^  '"^^'^''^  ''"k  flLen  c  lor; 
streaked  with   black;  wings  black,  marked  with  two  rows   of  dul 

ow  nnnn"""'"  «olor  J  whoFo  wiug-quiUs,  Under  the  coverts,  rich  y" 
low,  appearing  even  when  the  wings  are  shut :  rumo  and  tilunnJrtl 
yellowish  streaked  with  dark  bro^n;  tail-fierrWc  f  yd  1^^^^^^^ 
the  roots  half  way  to  the  tips,  except  the  two  middle  ones  whkh  are 
blackish  brown,  slightly  edged  witll  yellow;  sides,  umler' the  winJs 
of  a  cream  color,  with  long  streaks  of  black;  breas^  a  light  flaxen  col- 
0  ,  with  small  streaks  or  pointed  spots  of  black ;  legs,  pu  plish  brovvn  • 
bill,  a  dull  horn  color ;  eyes,  hazof.     The  female  w\J  scarcely  dTstin- 
guishab  e  by  its  plumage  from  the  male.    The  New  York  Kin  of 
wrer"dresT'"  *"  ''  ""^^  "^^  Yellow-Bird  (/ViV.^V/a  /"^t  his 
This  bird  has  a  still  greater  resemblance  to  the  Siskin  of  Eurone 
ir<r''"r'W  '^'^y-P^^'^P^'  be  the  species  described  by  TurtoM 
as  he  Black  Mexican  Siskin,  which  he  savs  is  varied  above  with  bSk 
and  yellowish  and  is  wnite  beneath,  anJ  which  is  also  said  to  S 
finely.    This  change  from  flaxen  to  yellow  is  observable  in  tfie  Gold 
finch;  and  no  other  two  birds  of  our  country  resemble  each  o£r 
more  than  these  do  in  t-ieir  winter  dresses.    Should  these  surmisesbe 
found  correct,  a  figure  of  this  bird,  in  his  summer  dress,  shTappea? 
in  some  future  part  of  our  work.  J  appear 

*  Arctic  Zoolozv,  p.  372,  No.  243  *  'r.,„„  i   • 

t  This  is  a  .rue^is^kin  ;  ^„d  we  have  a  very  accural  deSiCif '.1,1^  "^^  , 
manners  of  the  group  i„  those  of  the  individual  uow  described  CvVilsS^  Ti.S 
seems  to  be  known  of  Ihe  r  summer  haunts  •  and  indnprl  ihn  ri„  1         *'".*' 

rema<„  in  the  same  obscurity      They  Sr'aR"S,eJ^°^^^^  T'""'. 

jvinter  in  southern  latitudes.^  The  s^Ef  LatSt'afd  Eu^^^^ 
hke  m,grat,o„;  assembling  in  very  la%e  flocks  during  wte  feed  n^nETeTd" 
&c. ,  and  retiring  north  to  breed.  A  few  pairs,  not  performing  ihe  nn-  albn  ?o  it,' 
utmost  northern  extent,  breed  in  the  larger  pine  woods  in  p  Hio-hl^H^  r  a  . 
hnd  In  1829,they  were  met  with  in  jfne.^a  large  fir ^c'daSiZeviSuv 
Z  "^A^,T  y^"'  hey  were  known  to  breed  in  an  extensive  wood  a  '  New  S 
^e  .  ni  Galloway.  In  their  winter  migralions,  they  are  not  re-ular  DarHcinar 
districts  being  visited  by  them  at  uncerti^n  periods.  In  Annandafe  dLC  '[^  " 
5'^/?  ''"lfj-^y'^^f'^^»'^<^  ."[are.  and  the^first  pair  I  ever  saw  th^re  v  '  si  S  fn 
'327  Early  ,„  October,  as  the  winter  advanced,  very  large  flocks  arrived  ind 
^ed  chiefly  upon  the  rag-weed,  and  under  some  large  beecl.-irees  turninTovi  the 
fallen  mast,  and  eating  part  of  the  kernels,  as  wefl  as  any  seeds  the vf  on Wfi„5 
among  them,     m  1828  they  again  appeared  ;  but  in  1829,Vo'  one  Ws  seen     and 

Ihet'oHhe  Ch  ■'''•/^^^;>  '^'y  "'^  ".''"f"^.  "^"""&-  1'he  plate  of  ou  author  U 
mi^il?  •  h  A^  '■"  "'.,,^'"'"  '"'■«««•  .  As  he  justly  observes,  L  plumage  becomes 
Td  /Jno"'„''"."."t.^  "I-  '•'"f "  °(,  '""^"bation.  The  black'  parts'^bec^me  briK 
wd  deeper,  and  the  ohve  of  a  yellower  green.  —  En  "^  unguicr 

16 


// 


in 


IU)8&-«»fc<  WE       iKoaMISAK. 


ROSE-flRBABTKH   OROBBEAK' -    LOXIA  ROSEA. -Fio    ». 

Su»<.  — Red-breantfid  Orosbeak,  Arct.  Zool.p.Ss^ 


Loxia  Ludovl«M 
No.  21 
460.— 
AfiMetim,  No.  6806, 


f\trtml 


i-b««i»iiia««. 

D.  6806,aMll»l' 


H.'TO,  No.  S-W       I-«  rose  goreo,  ^«/.  iii. 


-jUi^e,  n '«•/.' 163,  fig.  SJ.-     lath 

I  M07,  female  ;  680(i,  a,  raalo  oi    )ii«  year  oM 


OUIRJICJt   LU DO ^KIMtf A.— 6m hinton. 


113.  — Coc- 


*  cotlirauste*  (Guiraca)  Ludoviciaiia,  Nortit.  Zool.  i.  p.  .f7l. 

This  plneant  species  is  rarely  found  in  the  lower  parte  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  the  «tato  of  New  York,  and  those  of  New  Kngland  it  .s 
moro  recuKM.tly  observed,  particularly  in  fall,  when  the  berries  of  the 
Tur  sun.  oro  r.pe,  on  the  kornoU  of  which  it  eagerly  feeds.  Some  of 
itetrivk  names  would  i.nport  that  it  is  also  an  inhabitant  of  Loum.ana; 
l^t  have  not  hoard  of  itis  ^oing  seen,  in  any  of  the  Southern  States 
A  Vcntleman  of  Middletow...  ConnccUcut,  informed  me  Uiat  ho  kept 
one^of  these  birds  for  some  considerable  time  in  a  cage,  and  observed 
Ztli  frequently  sanfj  at  night,  and  all  night;  that  its  notes  were 
extremciy  clear  and  mellow,  and  the  sweetest  of  any  bird  with  which 

"'-rirbTrd  from  which  the  figure  on  the  plate  was  taken,  was  shot, 
1  m  Ar  .  on  the  borders  of  a  swamp,  a  few  miles  from  Philadel- 
Dhia  aL  i.er  male  of  the  same  species  was  killed  at  the  same  Ume, 
?oisideral.iv  different  in  its  markings;  a  proof  that  they  do  not  ac- 
quire the     iull  colors  u.itil  at  least  the  second  spring  or  summer 

The  Roso-breasted  Grosbeak  is  eight  inches  and  a  half  lonjr  and 
thirteen  inches  in  extent;  the  whole  upper  parts  are  back,  except  the 
Scond  row  of  wing-coverts,  which  are  broadly  tipped  with  white ;  a 
spot  of  Uie  same  extends  over  tlio  primaries,  immed.ately  below  *hon 
coverte ;  chin,  neck,  and  upper  part  of  the  breast,  black ;  lower  part  of 
fhobVel"t  middle  of  the  belly,  and  lininff  of  the  wings,  a  fine  light 
cariiinttoV  rose  color;  tail,  fSked,  black,  the  three  exterior  feathers, 
onTaS^dde,  white  on  their  inner  vanes  for  an  inch  or  more  from  the 
Ups  Si  like  those  of  its  tribe,  very  thick  and  strong,  and  puro  white ; 
ei'  an  feet,  light  blue ;  eyes,  hazel.  The  young  male  of  the  nrst 
spring  has  tSe  plumag.  '.fthe  back  variegated  with  light  brown,  white 

•  This  sueoios  seem»  to  have  been  described,  under  various  specific  names  by 
Blue  Groslieaks  of  our  autho' —     "^ 


BLACK-THROATRD  ORERN   WARBLER. 


183 


and  black ;  a  hno  of  white  oitonds  over  Uio  oyo  ;  tho  rose  color  a|,o 
reaches  to  th.  bane  of  the  bill,  where  it  Ih  pccklod  with  hluck  and 
aIT'u  *^""1'".."!  •'^f  H^*-  y«»owi»h,  h  ixen  color,  Htr.mke.l  wUli 
dark  «  lyc,  and  wh.tinh;  the  breast  ia  streaked  with  olive,  m\n  flaxen, 
and  white  ;  the  luung  of  the  wings  is  palo  yellow  ;  the  bill,  Inon  Lasky 
loan  ui  f  ho  malp,  and  the  white  on  the  wing  less. 


BLACK-THROATED  GREEN  WARBLER. -SYLVIA  VIRENS.— 

Fio.  7;i. 


'^298'"*niri;'''.h?"l'-.^>'-  '•  R- -'S^-  -Le  Fipiior  h  cravato  noire,  Hulf.  v.  p. 
^^ol.  II.  No.  297  -/,a</..  8yn.  iv.  p.  484,  108.  —  TVrton,  Svtt  d  607  —  Panu 
v.r.d.<.  guiruro  n.prr.    i'ho  Green  Ulack-thmaled  Flycalch^Xwrnm,  p.  A 


SYLVICOLA    yiRKJVS. -BfiAttiton. 
Sylvia  virens,  Bonap.  8ynop.  p.  80. 

v«L"'f„'fh?f«H*^  *''°'l  transient  visitors  that  pass  through  Ponnsyl- 
tole  nnih  ♦    h^'  ^'''^u    "^P"'  ?."'^  beginning  of  May.  on  their  way 
1«  .f  f  'r^'-    ^\  g«"«'™lly  frequents  the  hi/h  branches  an3 

tops  of  trees,  ,n  the  woods,  in  search  of  the  larvae  of  insects  that  prey 
on  die  opening  buds.  It  hns  a  few  singular  cheruping  notes;  and  iJ 
very  lively  and  active.  About  the  lOt^  of  May  it  dilappear^.  It  s 
rmrely  observed  on  its  return  in  the  fall,  which  may  probffiy  be  owing 
withirr'?  f  ""  proper  food  at  that  season  obliging  it  to  pas! 
7^t£e  r^-^ '  "'  '°  ^^^  '^""S^'  ''^''''^  prevents  it^nd  other  Ja-s. 
sengers  from  heme  so  easily  observed.    Some  few  of  these  birds. 

fhirsrnsnn  71^!^  ^  •  Tk"'''  '"  ^""^l^'^nio.  having  myself  shot  three 
their  nest  ^^      the  month  of  Juno ;  but  I  have  never  yet  seen 

This  species  is  four  inches  and  three  quarters  long,  and  seven 

JZll  f^  r''?'  ^-5'  "T"'  ""'^  ^'"^  head,  is  of  a  rich  yellowish 
green;  front,  cheek,  sides  of  the  breast,  and  line  over  tho  eye,  yellow ; 
chn  and  throat,  b^ck;  sides,  under  the  wings,  spotted  with  black 

bars;  bill,  black;  legs  and  feet,  brownish  yellow;  tail,  dusky  ed<red 

w!S  ffi  '^'^^H^'V^'T  '^"T"'  ^""'^''^  ^P""^'!  ""  their  inSr  webs 
'Wt  "  disUnguished  by  having  no  black  on  the 


Ii 


YELLOW-BUMPED  WARBLER 


YELLOW-RUMPED  WARBLER.  -  SYLVIA  CORONATA— 

Fio.  80. 

Molacilla  maculosa,  Cand.  Syst.  i,  p.  984.  -  MotaciUa  coronata,  X,i»n.  Sijst.  i.  p. 
332  No.31.  — LcFi.niicrat0leccndr6e,  liuf.  v.p.291.  — Le  Fimiicr  couroim^ 
d'or  Id  V  p.  ai2.  — Yellow-Rump  Flycatcher,  yirftD.t.  253.  — Goldon-croNvncd 
Fl  vc'atcher  Id.  t.  21)3.  —  Yellow-lUimp  Warbler,  Arct.  Zool.  ii.  No. 288  —  (.oldeii- 
riycmciii.r,^«.    _   ^^  ,.   ^^  .nu  _^„,i,   s,„.  iv.  n.4ai.  No.  101..  Id.  Siipp.  p. 

11V7.  .. ^,»,..^..     .„„_,—.---      Pariis  ccdnis  iiro- 

ViA\o\v  Rmx\]\na7tram,  p".  292.  — Parus  auric  vcrtice.— 


crowned  VVarblerTi./.  ii-  No.2!M.- W.  Syr.,  iv.  p  481  No.  101.  Id.  f?upp.  p. 
182.  Id.  Syn.  iv.  p.  m,  No.  11.  -  'Ihrlon,  p.  599,  Id.  GOfi.  -  "—  --"f--  ■""- 
pvgio  flavo.-Tho  Yellow  Rump.  liartram   p.  29i^-Paru 
The  Golden-Crown  Flycatcher,  Id.  292.  —  /'ease's  Museum,  No.  713-1. 


SYLVICOIJi    C0R0JVJiTJ3.  —  Swaiwson. 

Sylvia  coronaia,  Bonap.  Symp.  p.  77,  (summer  plumage.*)  —  S)rlvicola  coronala, 
^  North.  Zcol.  ii.  p.  216. 

In  this  beautiful  little  specios  we  have  another  instance  of  the  mis- 
takes occasioned  by  the  chan<re  of  color  to  which  many  of  our  birds 
are  subject.  Tn  the  present  case  this  change  is  both  progressive  and 
periodical  The  young  birds  of  the  first  season  are  of  a  brown  olive 
above,  which  continues  until  the  month  of  February  and  Alarch; 
about  wliich  time  it  gradually  changes  into  a  fine  slate  color,  as  in  Fig. 
80  About  tiie  middle  of  April  this  change  is  completed.  I  have 
shot  tliem  in  all  their  gradations  of  change.  While  in  their  brown 
olive  dress,  the  yellow  on  tlie  sides  of  the  breast  and  crown  is  scarcely 
observable,  unluss  tlie  feathers  be  parted  with  the  hand;  but  tliat  on 
the  rump  is  still  vivid ;  the  spots  of  black  on  the  cheek  are  then  also 
obscured.  The  difference  of  appearance,  however,  is  so  great,  that 
we  need  scarcely  wonder  that  foreigners,  who  have  no  opportunity  of 
examininir  the  pro^rrss  of  these  variations,  should  have  concluded 
them  to  bTi  two  distinct  species,  and  designated  them  as  in  the  above 

This  bird  is  also  a  passenger  through  Pennsylvania.  Early  in  Oc- 
tober  ho  arrives  from  the  r.orlh,  in  his  olive  dress,  and  frequents  the 
cedar-trees,  devouring  the  berries  with  great  avidity.  He  reinains 
with  us  three  or  four  weeks,  and  is  very  numerous  wlierever  there  are 
tre.'s  of  the  red  cedar  covered  witli  berries.  He  leaves  us  for  the 
south,  and  spends  tiie  winter  season  among  the  myrtle  swamps  of  Vir- 
.rinia  tlie  Carolinas,  and  (.eorgiu.  The  berries  otthe  Mijnaiccnfera, 
both  the  largo  and  dwarf  kind,  are  his  particular  favorites.  On  those 
of  the  latter  I  found  them  feeding,  in  great  numbers  near  the  .sea- 
shore  in  tlie  District  of  Maine,  in  October;  and  through  tlio  wliole  of 
the  Imver  parts  of  the  Carolinas,  wherever  the  myrtles  grew,  those 
birds  were  numerous,  skipi)ing  about,  with  hanging  win^s,  among  the 
bushes.  In  those  parts  of  the  country,  they  are  generally  known  by 
the  name  of  Myrtle  Birds.  Round  Savannah,  and  beyond  it  as  far  aa 
the  Altamaha,  I  found  him  equally  numerous,  as  late  as  the  middle  ot 
March  when  his  change  of  color  had  considerably  progressed  to  the 
glate  hue  Mr.  Abbot,  who  is  well  acquainted  with  tins  change,  assured 
me,  tliat  they  attain  this  rich  slate  color  fully  before  tlieir  departure 

»  Winler  plumage,  Fig.  187. 


CERULEAN  WARBLER. 


185 


from  thence,  which  is  about  the  last  of  March,  and  to  the  10th  of  Anril 
About  the  middle  or  20th^f  the  same  month,  they  appear  in  Pennsvl- 
vania,  in  full  dress,  ns  represented  in  Fig.  80;  and  after  continuinjr  to 
be  seen,  for  a  week  or  ten  days,  skipping  among  the  high  branches 
and  tops  of  the  trees,  after  those  larvje  that  feed  on  the  opening  buds 
they  disappear  until  the  next  October.  Whether  they  retire  to  the' 
north,  or  to  the  high  ranges  of  our  mountains  to  breed,  like  many 
other  of  our  passengers,  is  yet  uncertain.  They  are  a  very  numerous 
species,  and  always  associate  together  in  considerable  numbers,  both 
in  spring,  winter,  and  fall.  ' 

This  species  is  five  inches  and  n  half  long,  and  eight  inches  broad; 
whole  back,  taii-coverts,  and  hind  head,  a  fine  slate  color,  streaked 
with  black ;  crown,  sides  of  the  breast,  and  rump,  rich  yellow ;  winog 
and  tail,  black ;  the  forme-  crossed  with  two  bars  of  white,  the  three 
exterior  feathers  of  the  latter,  spotted  with  white;  cheeks  and  front, 
black;  chin,  line  over  and  under  the  eye,  white;  breast,  light  slate 
streaked  with  black,  extending  under  the  wings ;  belly  and  vent,  white, 
the  latter  spotted  with  black;  bill  and  legs,  black.  This  is  the  spring 
and  sunimer  dress  of  the  male;  that  of  the  female  of  the  same  season 
differs  but  little,  chiefly  in  the  colors  being  less  vivid,  and  not  so 
strongly  marked  with  a  tincture  of  brownish  on  the  back. 

In  the  month  of  October  the  slate  color  has  char.aed  to  a  brownish 
ohve ;  the  streaks  of  black  are  also  consiilerably  brown,  and  tlie  white 
is  stained  with  the  same  color;  the  tail-coverts,  however,  still  retain 
thoir  slaty  hue  ;  the  yellow  on  the  crown  and  sides  of  the  breast  be- 
comes nearly  obliterated.  Their  only  note  is  a  kind  of  chip,  occasion- 
aly  repeated;  their  motions  are  quick,  and  one  can  scarcely  ever 
observe  tliem  at  rest 

•T'T^!lr'*'lf^™  ^^  ^^^  •'•"  "^  this  bird  obliges  me  to  arrange  him 
with  the  Warblers,  yet,  in  his  food  and  all  his  motions,  he  is  decidedly 
a  Flycatcher.  ^ 

On  again  recurring  to  the  descriptions  in  Pennant  of  the  «  Yellow 
Hump  Warbler,"*  "Golden-crowned  Warbler," f  and  « Belted  War- 
hhiT,"t  I  am  persuaded  thut  tlie  whole  three  have  been  drawn  from 
the  present  species. 


CERULEAN  WARBLER. -SYLVIA  CCERULEA. - Fio.  81 

Peak's  Museum,  No.  7309. 
SYLVWOLA  CCERULEJl. -S^j,ii,ioti.-M^i.m. 

Salvia  az»xe^,Bmap  Syrmp.  p.  85. -Sylvia  nzurea,  Azure  Warbler,  Steph.  8h 
/.ool.  X  n.  653  -Sylvia  ccBrulea,  Cerulean  Warbler,  Steph.  SL  Zol  x.  p 
w  rr^^l'"?  •'"^^'"''*"''  S'XV,/o«»7^.  to  Rocky  Mount,  i.  p  170.  —  The  Azufe 
Warbler,  Sylvia  azurea,  Aul  pi.  48,  male  and  female,  Oni.  Biog.  i.  p.  235. 

This  delicate  little  species  is  now,  for  the  firet  time,  introduced  to 
public  notice.    Except  my  friend,  Mr.  Peale,  I  know  of  no  other  natu- 


*  Arctic  Zoology,  p.  400,  No.  1B8. 

16* 


t  Und.  No.  "m.       \  Ibid.  No.  306. 


186 


SOLn  \UV  FLYCATCHER. 


ralist  who  seems  to  have  \iitherto  known  of  its  existence.  At  what 
time  ka^ves  from  the  south  I  cannot  positively  say,  as  I  never  met 
with  it  in  spring,  but  have  several  times  found  it  durirg  summer.  On 
S  horde™  of  s^^eams  and  marshes,  among  the  branchos  of  the  poplar, 
it  is  sometimes  to  be  found.  It  has  many  of  the  habits  of  the  f  ly- 
cateher  though,  like  the  preceding,  from  the  formation  of  Us  bill,  we 
m^S  arrange  ft  with  the  Warblersr  It  is  one  of  our  scarce  birds  m 
Ponnsvlvania  and  its  nest  has  hitherto  eluded  my  search.  I  have 
Lver  Se'dTafior  the  20th  of  August,  and  therefore  suppose  it 

"  ThisS  i^our  IncLes  and  a  half  long,  and  seven  and  a  half  broads 
the  front  and  upper  part  of  the  head  is  of  a  fine  verditer  b hie ;  the 
Wnd  head  and  back,  of  the  same  color,  but  not  qu.e  so  brilliant;  a 
few  lateral  streaks  of  black  mark  the  upper  part  ot  the  back  ;  wings 
and  tail,  black,  edged  with  sky  blue;  the  three  secondaries  next  the 
body  edged  with  white,  and  the  first  and  second  row  of  covertB  a  so 
tipped  wiUi  white;  tail-coverts,  large,  black,  and  broadly  tipped  with  blue; 
lesser  wing-coverts,black,  also  broadly  tipped  with  blue,  so  as  to  appear 
nearly  whSly  of  thittint  sides  of  the  breast,  spotted  or  f  eaked  with 
blueTbelly,  chin,  and  throat,  pure  white;  tiie  tail  is  forked,  tiie  five 
lateral  feaSers  on  each  side  witii  each  a  spot  of  white;  the  two  middle 
r^S™  Sy  marked  with  the  same  ;.  from  the  eye  backwards  extends 
a  line  of  dusky  blue ;  before  and  behind  the  eye,  a  line  of  white ,  bill, 
dusky  above,  light  blue  below ;  legs  and  feet,  light  blue. 


SOLITARY  FLYCATCHER -MUSCICAP  A  SOLITARIA- 

FiG.  82. 

VIREO  SOLlT^RIUS.  —  \ ititu.or. 

■Vireo  solitarius,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  70. 

This  rare  species  I  can  find  nowhere  described.  I  have  myself 
neve"  seen  more  than  three  of  them,  all  of  whom  corresponded  in  their 
markincrs ;  and,  on  dissection,  were  found  to  be  males.  It  is  a  silent, 
S&b i'rd  It  is  also  occasionally  found  in  the  state  of  Georgia, 
where  I  saw  a  drawing  of  it  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Abbot,  who  con- 
side  ed  it  a  very  scarce  species.     He  could  give  me  no  infonnat  on 

f  the  female.  Tlio  one  from  which  Fig.  82  was  taken,  was  .hot, 
n  Mr  Bartram's  woods,  near  Philadelphia,  among  the  branches  of 
doiwood,  in  the  month  of  October.  It  appears  to  belong  to  a  parUcu- 
lar  family,  or  subdivision  of  the  Mv^cxcapa  genus,  among  which  ure 
the  White-eyed,  the  Yellow-throated,  and  several  others  already  d.- 
scribcd  in  tie  present  work.  Why  one  species  should  be  so  rare 
while  an<  ;her,  much  resembling  it,  is  so  numerous,  at  least  a  thousaml 
for  one,  is  a  question  I  am  unable  to  answer,  unless  by  ^"PPO^f  ^''^ 
few  we  meet  wiUi  here  t3  be  accidental  stragglers  from  tJie  great 
body  which  may  have  thi*  r  residence  m  some  other  parts  ot  our  ex- 


cow   Bi  NTING.  l87 

The  Solitanr  Flycatcher  is  five  inches  long,  and  eight  inches  in 
breadth;  cheeks,  and  upper  part  of  the  head  and  neck,  a  fine  bluish 
gray;  breast,  pale  cinereous;  flanks  and  sides  of  the  breast,  yellow ; 
whole  back  and  tail-coverts,  green  olive  ;  wings,  nearly  black ;  the  first 
and  second  row  of  coverts,  tipped  with  white ;  the  three  secondaries  next 
tlie  body,  edged  with  pale  yellowish  white ;  the  rest  of  the  quills,  bor- 
dered with  light  green ;  tail,  slightly  forked,  of  the  same  tint  as  the 
wmga,  and  edged  with  light  green ;  from  the  nostrils  a  line  of  white 
I)roceeds  to  and  encircles  the  eye  ;  lores,  black ;  belly  and  vent,  white : 
ipper  mandible,  black ;  lower,  light  blue ;  legs  and  feet,  light  blue ; 
3yes,  hazel. 


COW  BUNTING.* -EMBERIZA  PECORIS.-Figs.  83,  84,  85. 

l-e  IJrunet,  Buff.  iv.  138.  — Le  Pincon  de  Virginie,  Briss.  iii.  165.  — Cow-Pen 
Bird,  Catesb.  i.  34.  — La//j.  ii.  269.  —  ylrei.  Zool.  p.  371,  No.  241.— Sturaus 
stcrcorarius,  Bartram,  p.  291.  —  Peak's  Museum,  No.  6378,  male  j  6379,  female. 

MQLOTHRUS  PECORIS.  —  Svi Atnaos. 

Fringillft  pecoiis,  8ab.  Frank.  Joum.  p.  676.  — Sturnus  junceti.  Lath.  Ind.  Om.— 
Emberi7a  pciotis,  Bonap.  Nomencf.  No.  89.  — Icterus  pecoris,  Bonap.  Stmop. 
?;F-  T^^ff'^'."^  pecoris,  Stc.  Sxjnoj).  Birds  of  Mex.  Phil.  Mag.  June,  18^7,  p. 
436. -rhe  Cow-Pen  Bird,  Arui..  pi.  99,  Om.  Biog.  i.  p.  ?93.  —  Molothrus 
pecoris,  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  277. 

There  is  one -striking  pectiliarity  m  the  works  of  the  great  Creator, 
which  becomes  more  amazing  the  more  wo  reflect  on  it ;  namely,  that 
he  has  formed  no  species  of  animfals  so  minute,  or  obscure,  that  are  not 
invested  with  certain  powers  and  peculiarities,  both  of  outward  con- 
formation and  internal  faculties,  exactly  suited  to  their  pursuits,  suffi- 
cient to  distinguish  them  from  all  others ;  and  forming  for  them  a 
character  solely  and  exclusively  their  own.  This  is  particularly  so 
among  the  feathered  race.  If  there  be  any  case  where  these  charac- 
teristic features  are  not  evident,  it  is  owing  to  our  want  of  observation ; 
to  our  little  intercourse  with  that  particular  tribe ;  or  to  that  contempt 
for  inferior  animals,  and  all  their  habitudes,  which  is  but  too  general, 
and  which  bespeaks  a  morose,  unfeeltig,  and  unreflecting  mind. 
These  peculiarities  are  often  surprising,  always  instructive  where 
understood,  and  (as  in  the  subject  of  our  present  chapter)  at  least 
amusing,  and  worthy  of  bein^  further  investigated.! 

*  The  Aniorioan  i'wckoo  {Cticulm  Carolinensis)  is  hy  many  people  called  the 
Cow  Mird,  from  the  sound  of  its  notes  rcsemblincf  the  words  Cow,  cmo.  This  bird 
builds  its  own  nest  very  artlessly  in  a  cedar  or  an  apple-tree,  and  lays  four  green- 
ish tihie  eggs,  which  it  hatches,  and  rears  its  young  with  great  tenderness. 

M"  'his  curious  species,  we  have  another  instance  of  those  wonderful  provisions 
of  Nature,  which  have  hitherto  baffled  the  knowledge  and  perseverance  of  man  to 
'Jiscover  for  what  uses  they  were  intended.  The  only  authenticated  instance  of  a 
like  circumstance  that  we  are  aware  of,  is  in  the  economy  of  the  Common  Cuckoo 
of  Europe.  Some  foreign  species,  which  rank  as  true  Cuculi,  are  said  to  deposit 
their  eggs  in  the -lesls  of  other  birds  ;  but  I  am  not  sure  that  the  fact  is  confirmed. 
..  !!h  regard  to  tl  e  birds  in  question,  ilicre  is  little  common  between  them,  except 


188 


cow  BUNTING. 


u 

I  1 


i 
I 

(' 
It 


tn 


The  most  remarkable  trait  in  the  cliaracter  of  tins  species  is,  the 
unaccountable  practice  it  has  of  dropping  its  eggs  into  the  nesta  of 
other  birds,  instead  of  building  and  hatching  for  itself;  and  thus  en- 
tirely abandoning  i^a  progeny  to  the  care  and  mercy  of  strangers. 
More  than  two  thousand  years  ago,  it  was  well  known,  m  those 
countries  where  the  hire  inhabits,  that  the  Cuckoo  of  Europe  (Cwulv^ 
carjonw)  never  built  herself  a  nest,  but  dropped  her  eggs  in  the  nests  ot 
otlier  birds  :  but,  among  the  thousands  of  different  species  that  spread 
over  tliat  and  other  parts  of  the  globe,  no  other  instance  of  «ie  same 
uniform  habit  has  been  found  to  exist,  until  discovered  m  the  bird  now 
before  us.  Of  tlie  reality  of  the  former  there  is  no  doubt ;  it  is  known 
to  every  school-boy  in  Britain ;  of  tlie  truth  of  the  latter  I  can  myself 
speak  with  confidence,  from  personal  observation,  and  from  the  testi- 
mony of  gentlemen,  unknown  to  eacli  other,  residing  in  different  and 
distant  parts  of  the  United  States.  The  circumstances  by  which  I 
became  first  acquainted  with  this  pecuUar  habit  of  the  bird  are  as 

follows  : ,  r.  ii.  X- 

I  had,  in  numerous  instances,  found,  in  the  nests  of  three  or  tour 
particular  species  of  birds,  one  egg,  much  larger,  and  difierentiy 
marked  from  tliose  beside  it ;  I  had  remarked,  tliat  these  odd-looking 
eggs  were  all  of  the  same  color,  and  marked  nearly  in  the  same  man- 
ner, in  whatever  nest  they  lay,  though  frequently  the  eggs  beside 
them  were  of  a  quite  different  tint ;  and  I  had  also  been  told,  m  a 
vague  way,  that  the  Cow  Bird  laid  in  other  birds'  nests.  At  lenrth  I 
detected  the  female  of  tliis  very  bird  in  tJie  nest  of  the  Red-eyed  fly- 
catcher, which  nest  is  very  small,  •i.nd  very  singularly  constructed. 
Suspecting  her  purpose,!  cautiously  withdrew  without  disturbing  her ; 
and  had  the  satisfaction  to  find,  on  my  return,  that  the  egg  which  she 
had  just  dropped  corresponded  as  nearly  lis  eggs  of  the  same  species 
usually  do,  in  its  size,  tint,  and  markings,  to  tliose  formerly  taken 
notice  of.  Since  tlmt  time,  I  have  found  the  young  Cow  Bunting,  in 
many  instances,  in  the  nests  of  one  or  other  of  these  small  birds ;  1 
have  seen  these  last  followed  by  the  young  Cow  Bird  calling  out 
clamorously  for  food,  and  often  engaged  in  feeding  it ;  and  1  have 
now,  in  a  cage  before  me,  a  very  fine  one,  which,  six  months  ago,  1 
took  from  the  nest  of  the  Maryland  Yellow-Throat,  and  from  which  the 
figures  of  the  young  bird  and  male  Cow  Bird  in  the  plate  were  taken : 
the  figure  in  the  act  of  feeding  it,  is  the  female  Maryland  Yellow- 
Throat,  in  whose  nest  it  was  found.  I  claim,  however,  no  merit  tor  a 
discovery  not  originally  my  own,  tliese  singular  habits  having  long 

that  both  are  mi^'ratorv .  mid  bolh  deposit  their  egg^  in  the  nest  of  an  alien.  The 
Cow  Binnin?  is  nolvKm.u.us  ;  ami  I  strongly  susj-ert  that  our  Cuckoo  is  the  same. 
Ill  tlie  deposition  oflV.c  ogg,  the  mode  of  procedure  is  nearly  similar  j  great  uneasi- 
ness, and  a  sort  of  fretting,  previously,  with  a  calm  of  quiet  satisfaction  afterwards 
In  both  species  we  have  beautiful  provisions  to  insure  the  non-disturbance  ol  the 
inlnnler  l^  its  fosler-progeny  ;  in  tde  one,  by  a  greater  strength,  easily  overcoming 
and  driving  out  the  natural  but  more  tender  youn^;  m  all  love  of  the  natural 


Xuriiig  bling  destroyed  in  the  parents,  and  succeeded  by  a  powerful  desire  to 
presTrvS  and  rear  to  maturity  the  usurper  of  their  rights :  in  the  other,  where  the 
younK  would,  in  some  instances,  be  of  a  like  size  and  strength  and  where  a  combat 
miehl  prove  fatal  in  an  opposite  direction  to  the  intentions  of  Providence,  all  ne- 
celsity  of  contest  is  at  once  avoided  by  the  eggs  of  the  Cow  BunUng  requiring  S 


cow  BUNTINGf. 


m 


been  known  to  people  of  observation  resident  in  the  country  whose 
information,  m  this  case,  has  preceded  that  of  all  our  school  philoso- 
phers and  closet  naturalists,  to  whom  the  matter  has,  till  now  been 
totally  unknown.  j      c»i 

About  the  25th  of  March,  or  early  in  April,  the  Cow-Pen  Bird  makes 
his  hrst  appearance  in  Pennsylvania  from  the  south,  sometimes  in 
company  with  the  Red- winged  Blackbird,  more  frequently  in  detached 
parties,  resting  early  in  the  morning,  an  hour  at  a  time,  on  the  tops  of 
trees  near  streams  of  water,  appearing  solitary,  silent,  and  faticrued. 
Ihey  continue  to  be  occasionally  seen,  in  small,  solitary  paitiesr par- 
ticularly along  creeks  and  banks  of  rivers,  so  late  as  the  middle  of 
June ;  after  which,  we  see  no  more  of  them  until  about  the  beginnin«r 
or  middle  of  October,  when  they  reappear  in  much  larger  flocks,  cren*^ 
erally  accompanied  by  numbera  of  the  Redwings ;  between  whom 
and  the  present  species  there  is  a  considerable  similarity  of  manners, 
dialect,  and  personal  resemblance.  In  these  aerial  voyages,  like  other 
experienced  navigators,  tJiey  take  advantage  of  the  direction  of  the 
wind,  and  always  set  out  with  a  fa^'orable  gale.  My  venerable  and 
observing  friend,  Mr.  Bartram,  writes  mo,  on  the  13th  of  October,  as 
toUows:  — "The  day  before  yesterday,  at  the  height  of  the  north-east 
stonn,  prodigious  numbers  of  the  Cow-Pen  Birds  came  by  us,  in  several 
flights  of  some  thousands  in  a  flock  ;  many  of  them  settled  on  trees  in 
the  garden  to  rest  themselves,  and  then  resumed  their  voyaoe  south- 
wards. There  were  a  few  of  their  coimns,  the  Redwings,  with  them. 
We  shot  three,  a  male  and  two  females." 

From  the  early  period  at  which  these  birds  pass  in  the  spring  it  is 
highly  probable  that  their  migrations  extend  very  far  north.  Tho«e 
which  pass  in  the  months  of  March  and  April  can  have  no  opportunity 
of  depositing  their  eggs  here,  there  being  not  more  than  one  or  two  of 
our  small  birds  which  build  so  early.  Those  that  pass  in  May  and 
June  are  frequently  observed  loitering  singly  about  solitary  thickets, 
reconnoitring,  no  doubt,  for  proper  nurses,  to  whose  care  they  may 
commit  the  hatching  of  their  eggs,  and  the  rearing  of  their  helpless 
orphans.  Among  the  birds  selected  for  this  duty  "are  the  followino- 
all  of  which  are  figured  and  described  in  this  volume:  — The  Blue- 
Bird,  which  builds  in  a  hollow  tree  ;  the  Chipping  Span-ow,  in  a  cedar 
bush  ;  the  Golden-crowned  Thrush,  on  tlie  ground,  in  the  shape  of  an 
oven ;  the  Red-eyed  Flycatcher,  a  neat,  pensile  nest,  hung  by  the  two 
upper  edges  on  a  small  sapling,  or  drooping  branch  ;  the  Yellow-Bird 
in  the  fork  of  an  alder;  the  Maryland  Yellow-Throat,  on  the  ground' 
iit  the  roots  of  brier  bushes ;  the  White-eyed  Flycatcher,  a  pensile 
nest  on  the  bending  of  a  smilax  vine ;  and  the  small  Blue-gray  Fly- 
catcher, also  a  pensile  nest,  fastened  to  the  slender  twigs  of  a  tree 
sometimes  at  the  height  of  fifty  or  sixty  feet  from  the  ground.  The 
tliree  last-mentioned  nurses  are  represented  on  the  saiae  plate  with 
tlie  bird  now  under  consideration.  There  are,  no  doubt,  others  to 
whom  the  same  (^harge  is  committed ;  but  all  these  I  have  myself  met 
with  acting  in  that  capacity. 

Among  these,  tlic  Yellow-Throat  and  the  Red-eyed  Flycatcher  ap- 
pear to  be  particular  favorites ;  and  the  ki^idness  and  affectionate  at- 
tention which  these  two  little  birds  seem  to  pay  to  their  nurslings, 
fully  justify  the  partiality  of  the  parents. 


190 


cow  BUNTING. 


f!'' 


It  is  well  known  to  those  who  have  paid  attention  to  the  manners  of 
birds,  that,  after  their  nest  is  fully  finished,  a  day  or  two  generally 
elapses  before  the  female  begins  to  lay.  This  delay  is  in  most  cases 
necessary  to  give  firmness  to  the  yet  damp  materials,  and  allow  them 
time  to  dry.  In  this  state  it  is  sometimes  met  with,  and  laid  in  by  the 
Cow  Bunting ;  the  result  of  which  1  have  invariably  found  to  be  the 
desertion  of  the  nest  by  its  rightful  owner,  and  the  consequent  loss  ot 
the  egg  thus  dropped  in  it  by  the  intruder.  But  when  the  owner  herself 
has  begun  to  lay,  and  there  are  one  or  more  eggs  in  the  nest  before 
the  Cow  Bunting  deposits  hers,  the  attachment  of  the  proprietor  is 
secured,  and  remains  unshaken  until  incubation  is  fully  perfornied, 
and  the  little  stranger  is  able  to  provide  for  itself. 

The  well-known  practice  of  the  young  Cuckoo  of  Europe  in  turn- 
ing out  all  tlie  eggs  and  young  whicii  it  feels  around  it,  almost  as  soon 
as  it  is  hatched,  has  been  detailed  in  a  very  satisfactory  and  amusing 
manner  by  the  amiable  Dr.  Jenner,*  who  has  since  risen  to  immortal 
celebrity  in  a  much  nobler  pursuit;  and  to  whose  genius  and  humani- 
ty the  whole  human  race  are  under  everlasting  obligations.    In  our 
Cow  Bunting,  though  no  such  habit  has  been  observed,  yet  still  there 
is  someUiing  mysterious  in  the  disappearance  of  the  nurse  s  own  eggs 
soon  after  the  foundling  is  hatched,  which  happens  regularly  before 
all  the  rest.     From  twelve  to  fourteen  days  is  the  usual  time  ot  incu- 
bation with  our  small  birds  ;  but  although  I  cannot  exactly  fix  the 
precise  period  requisite  for  the  eijg  of  the  Cow  Bunting,  I  thmk  1  can 
8ay  almost  positively,  tliat  it  is  a  day  or  two  less  than  the  shortest  ot 
the  above-mentioned  spaces  !     In  this  singular  circumstance,  we  see 
a  strikinir  provision  of  the  Deity;  for  did  this  egg  require  a  day  or 
two  more,  instead  of  so  much  loss,  than  those  among  which  it  has 
been  dropped,  the  young  it  contained  would  in  every  instance  mo.st 
inevitably  perish;  and  thus,  in  a  few  years,  the  whole  species  must 
become  extinct     On  tlie  first  appearance  of  tlie  young  Cow  Bunting, 
the  parent  being  frequently  obliged  to  leave  the  nest  to  provide  sus- 
tenance for  the  foundling,  the  business  of  incubation  is  thus  necessarily 
interrupted;  the  disposition  to  continue  it  abates;  nature  has  now 
given  a  new  direction  to  the  zeal  of  the  parent;  and  the  remaining 
eggs,  within  a  day  or  two  at  most,  generally  disappear.    In  some  in- 
stonces,  indeed,  they  have  been  found  on  the  ground  near,  or  below, 
the  nest ;  but  this  is  rarely  the  case.  ^     .      ^        „     *• 

I  have  never  known  more  than  one  egg  of  the  Cow  Bunting 
dropped  in  the  same  nest.  Tliis  egg  is  somewhat  larger  than  that  ot  the 
Blue-Bird,  thickly  sprinkled  with  grains  of  pale  brown  on  a  dirty  white 
ground.     It  is  of  a  size  proportionable  to  that  of  the  bird. 

So  extraordinary  and  unaccountable  is  this  habit,  that  I  have  some- 
times tlioucht  it  might  not  be  general  among  the  whole  of  this  species 
in  every  situation;  that  the  extreme  heat  of  our  summers,  though  suit- 
able enough  for  their  young,  might  be  too  much  for  the  comfortable 
residence  of  the  parents  ;  that,  tlvoiefore,  in  tJieir  way  t»  the  north, 
thrnu'^h  our  climat(>,  they  were  induced  to  secure  suitable  places  tor 
their  progeny;  and  that  in  tiie  regions  where  they  more  generally 
pass  the  suuuner,  they  might  perhaps  build  nests  for  themselves,  and 

*  See  Philosopliicxl  Transxclions  for  1788,  part  h. 


I  J 


)       1 


cow  BUNTING. 


191 


rear  their  own  young,  like  every  other  species  around  tliem.  On  the 
other  hand,  when  I  consider  tliat  miiny  of  them  tarry  here  so  late  as 
the  middle  of  June,  dropping  their  eggs,  from  time  to  time,  into  every 
convenient  receptacle— that  in  the  states  of  Virginia,  Maryland,  Del- 
aware, New  Jersey,  and  Pennsylvania,  they  uniformly  retain  the  same 
habits —  and,  in  short,  that  in  all  these  places  I  have  never  yet  seen 
or  heard  of  their  nest,- reasoning  from  these  facts,  I  think  I  may 
safely  conclude  that  they  never  build  one  ;  and  that  in  those  remotu 
northern  regions  their  manners  are  the  same  as  we  find  them  here. 

What  reason  Nature  may  have  for  tliis  extraordinary  deviation 
from  her  general  practice  is,  I  confess,  altogether  beyond  my  compre- 
hension. There  is  nothing  singular  to  be  observed  in  the  anatomicul 
structure  of  the  bird  that  would  seem  to  prevent  or  render  it  incapa- 
ble of  incubation.  The  extreme  heat  of  our  climate  is  nrobably  one 
reason  why,  in  the  months  of  July  and  August,  they  are  rarely  to  be 
seen  here.  Yet  we  have  many  other  migratory  birds  that  regularly 
priss  through  Pennsylvania  to  the  north,  leaving  a  few  residents  be- 
hind them,  who,  without  exception,  build  their  own  nests  and  rear 
their  own  young.  This  part  of  tiie  country  also  abounds  with  suita- 
ble food,  such  as  they  usually  subsist  on.  Many  conjectures  indeed 
might  be  formed  as  to  the  probable  cause  ;  but  all  of  them  that  have 
occurred  to  me  are  unsatisfactory  and  inconsistent  Future  and  more 
numerous  observations,  made  with  care,  particularly  in  those  coun- 
tries where  they  most  usually  pass  the  summer,  may  tlirow  more  liirht 
on  this  matter  ;  till  then,  we  can  only  rest  satisfied  with  the  reality^of 
the  fact. 

This  species  winters  regularly  in  the  lower  parts  of  North  and 
South  Carolina  and  Georgia ;  I  have  also  met  with  them  near  Wil- 
liamsburg, and  in  several  other  }mrts  of  Virginia.  In  January,  1809, 
I  observed  strings  of  them  for  sale  in  the  market  of  Charleston,  South 
Carolina.  They  often  frequent  corn  and  rice  fields,  in  company  with 
their  cousins,  as  Mr.  Bartram  calls  them,  the  Red-winged  Blackbirds ; 
but  are  more  commonly  found  accompanying  the  cattle,  feeding  on 
the  seeds,  worms,  &c.,  which  they  pick  up  amongst  the  fodder,  and 
from  the  excrements  of  the  cattle,  which  they  scratch  up  for  this  pur- 
pose. Hence  they  have  pretty  generally  obtained  the  name  of  Cow- 
Pen  Birds,  Cow  Birds,  or  Cow  Blackbirds.  By  the  naturalists  of  Eu- 
rope they  have  hitherto  been  classed  with  the  Finches,  though  im- 
properly, as  they  have  no  family  resemblance  to  that  tribe,  sufficient 
to  justify  that  arrangement  If  we  are  to  be  directed  by  the  conforma- 
tion of  their  bill,  nostrilts,  tongue,  and  claws,  we  cannot  hesitate  a 
moment  in  classing  them  with  the  Red-winged  Blackbirds,  Oriolua 
phaniceus ;  not,  however,  as  Orioles,  but  as  Buntings,  or  some  new 
intermediate  genus ;  the  notes  or  dialect  of  the  Cow  Bunting  and 
those  of  the  Redwings,  as  well  as  some  ot  her  peculiarities  of  voice 
and  gesticulation,  being  strikingly  similar. 

Respecting  this  extraordinary  bird,  I  have  received  communications 
from  various  quarters,  all  corroborative  of  tlie  foregoing  particulars. 
Among  these  is  a  letter  from  Dr.  Potter,  of  Baltimore,  which,  as  it 
contains  some  new  and  interesting  facts,  and  several  amusing  inci- 
dents, illustrative  of  the  character  of  the  bird,  I  shall  with  pleasure 
lay  before  the  reader,  apologizing  to  the  obliging  writer  for  a  few 


108 


cow  BUNTING. 


,if, 


unimportant  omissiona  which  have  been  anticipated  in  the  preceding 
pages. 

«I  regret  exceedingly  that  professional  avocations  have  put  it  out 
of  my  power  to  have  replied  earlier  to  your  favor  of  he  19th  of  Hep- 
tembf.r ;  and  although  I  shall  not  now  reflect  all  the  light  you  desire, 
a  faithful  transcript  from  memoranda,  noted  at  tlie  moment  of  observa- 
tion, may  not  be  altogether  uninteresting. 

"The  lYivgiUa  pecoris  is  generally  known  in  Maryland  by  tl.c  namo 
of  the  Cow  Blackbird;  and  none  but  the  naturalist  view  it  as  a  distinct 
species.  It  appears  about  the  last  of  March,  or  first  week  in  April, 
though  someflmes  n  little  earlier,  when  the  spnng  is  unusually  for- 
ward.   It  is  less  punctual  in  its  appearance  than  many  other  ot  our 

"""ifcommomy  remains  wiUius  till  about  the  last  of  October,  though 
unusually  cold  weather  sometimes  banishes  it  much  earlier.  It,  how- 
ever, sometimes  happens  that  a  few  of  them  remam  with  us  all  winter, 
and  iire  seen  hovering  about  our  barns  and  farm-yards  when  straitened 
for  sustenance  by  snow  or  hard  frost.  It  is  remarkable  that  in  some 
years  I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  one  of  them  during  the  months 
of  July  and  August;  when  they  have  suddenly  appeared  in  Septem- 
ber in  great  numbers.  I  have  noticed  this  fact  always  immediately 
after  a  series  of  very  hot  weatlier,  and  then  only.  The  general  opin- 
ion is,  that  they  then  retire  to  the  deep  recesses  ot  the  shady  torest ; 
but,  if  this  had  been  the  fact,  I  should  probably  have  discovered  them 
in  my  rambles  in  every  part  of  tiie  woods.  I  think  it  more  likely  Uia 
they  migrate  farther  north,  till  they  find  a  temperature  more  congenial 
to  their  feelings,  or  find  a  richer  repast  in  following  the  cattle  in  a 

better  pasture.*  ,     .  ,    ,     ,,     ,  „,     , 

"  In  autumn,  we  oflen  find  them  congregated  with  the  Marsh  Black- 
birds, committing  their  common  depredations  upon  the  ears  of  the  In- 
dian corn;  and  at  other  seasons,  the  similarity  of  their  pursuits  in 
feeding  introduces  them  into  the  same  company.  I  could  never  ob- 
serve that  they  would  keep  the  company  of  any  otiier  bird. 

«  The  Cow-Pen  Finch  differs,  moreover,  in  another  respect,  from  all 
the  birds  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  After  an  observance  of  many 
years,  I  could  never  discover  any  Uiing  like  ^jarrai^,  or  a  mutual  at- 
tachment between  the  sexes.  Even  in  the  season  of  love,  when  other 
birds  are  separated  into  pairs,  and  occupied  in  the  endearing  othce  ot 
providing  a  receptacle  for  their  offspring,  the  Fringill<B  are  seen  feed- 
in<r  in  odd  as  well  as  even  numbers,  from  one  to  twenty,  and  discov- 
ermg  no  more  disposition  towards  perpetuating  their  species  than  birds 

»  "  It  may  not  be  improper  to  remark  here,  that  the  appearance  of  this  bird  in 
spring  is  sometimes  looked  for  with  anxiety  by  the  farmers.   If  the  horned  catte 
happen  to  be  diseased  in  sprins-  H'ey  ascr.be  it  toworms,  and  consider  the  pursuit  of 
die  Ds  as  an  unerrinR  indica^ion  of  the  necessity  "^  ■n^'!''-'"^- .  A''''°"gV''hl.r 
polhesis  of  the  worms  infesting  the  oaltie  so  as  to  F<''»"'^«'.'n"<^h  disease  is  nroble^ 
aiical,  tiieir  superabundance  at  this  season  cannot  be  denied.    I  he  larvffi  oi  several 
species  are  ,io  .osited  in  the  veRelables  >^he»  .  green  and  the  cauio  are  M 
as  fod<ier  in  wnilcr.     Tliis  furnislios  the  principal  inducement  for  the  bird  to  lollow 
the  cattle  in  spri.,-,  when  the  aperient  elVects  of  the  green  grasses  evacuate  grea 
numbers  of  worm^      At  this  season  the  Pecoris  oflen  stuffs  iLs  crop  with  them  till 
f,T«n  cnntain  no  n,.re.    There  are  several  species,  but  the  most  numerous.s  a 
small  white  one  simlar  to,  if  not  the  sa»e  as,  ihi  Ascurin  ol  the  human  species. 


)■  'i 


cow  BUNTING. 


li)3 


of  any  other  species  at  other  seasons,  excepting  a  promiscuoiiH  con- 
cubinage, which  porvades  the  whole  tribe.  Whuii  the  fcnmle  separates 
troin  the  conmany,  her  departure  is  not  noticed ;  no  gallant  partner 
accompanies  her,  nor  manifests  any  solicitude  in  her  absence ;  nor  is 
her  return  ;,freeted  by  that  gratulatory  tenderness  that  so  eminently 
characterizes  the  males  of  other  birds.  The  male  proffers  tlie  sumo 
civilities  to  any  female,  indiscriminately,  and  they  are  reciprocated  ac- 
cordingly, without  exciting  eitlior  resentment  or  jealousy  in  any  of  the 
party.  This  want  of  sexual  attacliinciit  is  nut  inconsistent  with  the 
y'neral  economy  of  this  singular  bird;  for,  as  they  arc  neither  their 
own  architect,  nor  nurse  of  tlieir  own  young,  the  degree  of  attachment 
that  governs  others  would  be  superfluous. 

"  Tliat  the  Fiinsilln  never  builds  a  nest  for  itself,  you  may  assert 
without  the  hazard  of  a  refutation.  I  once  ofibred  a  premium  for  the 
nest,  and  the  negroes  in  the  neighborhood  brouglit  me  a  variety  of 
nests  ;  but  they  were  always  traced  to  some  other  bird.  The  time  of 
depositing  their  eggs  is  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  last  of  May,  or 
nearly  so ;  corresponding  with  the  season  of  laying  observed  by  the 
small  birds  on  whose  property  it  encroaches.  It  never  deposits  but 
one  egg  in  the  same  nest,  and  this  is  generally  after  the  rightful  ten- 
ant begins  to  deposit  hers,  but  never,  I  believe,  after  she  has  com- 
menced the  process  of  incubation.  It  is  impossible  to  say  how  many 
they  lay  in  a  season,  unless  tliey  could  be  watched  when  confined  in 
an  aviary. 

"  By  a  minute  attention  to  a  number  of  these  birds  when  tliey  feed 
in  a  particular  field,  in  the  laying  season,  the  deportment  of  the 
female,  when  the  time  of  laying  draws  near,  becomes  particularly  in- 
teresting. She  deserts  h(>r  associates,  assumes  a  drooping,  sickly  as- 
pect, and  perches  upon  some  eminence  where  she  can  reconnoitre  the 
operations  of  other  birds  in  the  process  of  nidification.  If  a  discovery 
suitable  to  her  purpose  cannot  be  made  from  her  stand,  she  becomes 
more  restless,  and  is  seen  flitting  from  tree  to  tree,  till  a  place  of  de- 
posit can  be  found.  I  onco  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  a  scene 
of  this  sort,  which  I  cannot  forbear  to  relate.  Seeing  a  female  prying 
into  a  bunch  of  bushes  in  search  of  a  nest,  I  determined  to  see  the 
result,  if  practicable ;  and,  Icnowing  hoM-  easily  they  are  disconcerted 
by  the  near  approach  of  man,  I  inonnted  my  horse,  and  proceeded 
slowly,  sometimes  seeing  and  snmetinies  losing  sight  of  her,  till  I  had 
travelled  nearly  two  miles  along  tiie  margin  of  a  creek.  She  entered 
every  thick  place,  prying  with  the  strictest  scrutiny  into  places 
where  the  small  birds  usually  build,  and  at  last  darted  suddenly  into 
a  thick  copse  of  alders  and  briers,  where  she  remained  five  or  six 
minutes,  when  she  returned,  soaring  above  the  underwood,  and  re- 
turned to  the  company  she  had  left  feeding  in  the  field.  Upon  enter- 
ing the  covert,  I  found  tlie  nest  of  a  Yellow-Throat,  with  an  egg  of 
each.  Knowing  the  precise  time  of  deposit,  I  noted  the  spot  and  date, 
with  a  view  of  determining  a  question  of  importance  —  the  time  re- 
quired to  hatch  the  egg  of  the  Cow  Bird,  which  I  supposed  to  com- 
mence from  the  time  of  the  Yellow-Throat's  laying  the  last  egg.  A 
few  days  after,  the  nest  was  removed,  I  knew  not  how,  and  I  was  dis- 
appointed. In  the  progress  of  the  Cow  Bird  along  the  creek's  side, 
she  entered  tlie  thick  boughs  of  a  small  cedar,  and  returned  several 
17 


11 

-■f:    :. 

-. -..  -^'^^S 

■y'M'^^M' 

m 

194 


cow  BUNTING. 


times  before  she  could  prevail  on  hereelf  to  quit  the  Pl*^"  ?  «"^?  »?«" 
extt.nination,  I  found  a  Sparrow  flitting  on  its  ne«^  ««  ^'^'^'j  JJ^' "" 
doubt,  would  have  stolen  in  the  absence  of  the  owner.  I  '«' ^  °«1  «3f ' 
certain  that  the  Cow-Pen  Finch  never  makes  a  forcible  entry  uF).n 
the  prenii^.  by  attacking  other  birds,  and  ejecting  them  from  their 
riffhtM  termentfl,  altJiough  they  are  all,  perhaps,  inferior  in  strength, 
exceTtlieBlue-Brd,  which,  although  of  a  mild  as  well  as  afiectioimte 
SSiSi,  mUes  a^  resistance  when  assaulted.    L^ko  .nont 

ffi  tymnts  and  thieves,  they  are  cowardly,  and  accomplish  by  stealth 
what  tlicy  cannot  obtain  by  force. 

«  The  deportment  of  the  Yellow-Throat,  on  Uiis  occasion,  is  not  to 
be  omitted.    She  returned  while  I  waited  near  the  spot,  and  darted 
TntoC  nest,  but  returned  immediately,  and  perched  "I|onj^  ^""fh 
near  the  place  ;  remained  a  minute  oj  two,  and  entered  it  ag^in,  re- 
turnedVand  disappeared.    In  ten  minites,  she  returned  witli  the  male. 
Thev  chattered  with  great  agitation  for  half  an  hour,  seeming  to  par- 
JcVate  X"  aflront,'and  tlfen  left  the  place.    ^^veauSie  birds 
Uius  intruded  on  manifest  more  or  less  concern  at  finding  the  egg  ot 
a  stranger  in  their  own  nqsts.     Among  these  the  Sparrow  is  particu- 
larly  punctilious  ;  for  she  sometimes  chirps  her  complaints  for  a  day 
or  two,  and  often  deserts  tlie  premises  altogether,  even  after  she  has 
deposited  one  or  more  e.?s.   ^The  following  anecdote  will  show  not 
onlv  tlmt  the  Cow-Pen  Pinch  insinuates  herself  slyly  into  the  nests 
of  S  birds,  but  tliat  even  the  most  pacific  of  them  will  resent  Uie 
insult    A  Blue-Bird  had  built,  for  three  successive  seasons,  m  the 
cav"  y  of  a  mulberry-tree  near  my  dwelling.    One  day,  when  the  nest 
was  nearly  finishe^I  discovered  a  female  Cow  Bird  Pfrched  upon  a 
fence-stake  near  it,  with  her  eyes  apparentiy  fixed  upon  the  spot, 
wliile  the  builder  was  busy  in  adjusting  her  nest    The  moment  she 
eftit,tlie  intruder  darted'into  it!  and  in  five  minutes  returned^"/ 
sailed  off  to  her  companions  with  seeming  de  ight,  which  she  ex- 
pressed by  her  gestures  and  notes.    The  Blue-Bird  soon  returned,  and 
Entered  the  nes|  but  instantaneously  fluttered  back  ^f^^^ff^  WJJ- 
ent  hesitation,  and  perched  upon  the  highest  branch  of  the  tree,  utter- 
ing a  rapidly-repeated  note  of  complaint  and  resentment,  ^'"ch  soon 
brought  the  male,  who  reciprocated  her  feelings  by  every  'lemonst m- 
tion  of  the  most  Vindictive  resentment    They  entered  Uie  ne^    '^^^^^^^^^ 
cr  and  returned  several  times,  uttering  tlieir  uninterrupted  complaints 
fo   ten  ^r  fifteen  minutes.    The  male  then  darted  away  to  tlie  neigh- 
boring trees,  as  if  in  ((uest  of  the  offender,  and  fell  upon  a  Cat  Bud, 
which  he  chastised  severely,  and  then  turned  to  an  innocent  Sario^ 
that  was  chanting  its  ditty  in  a  peach-tree.    Notwithstanding  the  nt- 
froiit  was  s<,  passionately  resented,  I  found  the  Blue-Bird  had  laid  an 
ega  the  next  day.     Perhaps  a  tenant  less  attached  to  a  favorite  s  ot 
would  have  acted  more  fastidious-sly,  by  deserting  the  premises  alto- 
gether.   In  this  instance,  also,  I  determined  to  watch  the  occurrences 
that  were  to  follow  ;  but,  on  one  of  my  morning  visits  I  found  the 
commmi  enemy  of  tli;  egjs  and  young  of  all  the  small  birds  had  de- 
spoiled the  nest,  — a  Coluber  was  found  coiled  in  the  hollow,  and  the 

^^"  ATeeably  to  my  observation,  all  the  young  birds  ciestined  to  cher- 
ish tlie  young  Cow  Bird  art  of  a  mild  and  affectionate  disposition ;  and 


cow  BUNTLNO. 


IW 


!W  n^^'*'T''"'^^®  ^**  they  aro  all  air.allor  tlm.  the  intruder; 
the  Bluo-Bird  is  the  only  one  nearly  aa  large.  This  is  a  ffood-natured 
mild  creature  although  it  makes  a  vigorous  defence  when  assaulted! 
I  he  Yellow-Throat,  the  Sparrow,  the  Goldfinch,  the  Indigo  Bird,  and 
tlie  Blue-Bird,  are  the  onW  birds  in  whose  nests  I  have  found  the  eggs 
oth?™/"*""^  Cow-Pen  Finch,  though,  doubtless,  there  are  some 

"  What  becomes  of  the  eggs  or  young  of  the  proprietor?  This  is 
the  most  interesting  question  that  appertains  to  this  subject  There 
must  be  some  special  law  of  nature  wkch  determines  that  the  younjr 
of  the  proprietors  are  never  to  be  found  tenants  in  common  with  the 
young  Cow  Bird.  I  shall  offer  the  result  of  my  own  experience  on 
this  point,  and  leave  it  to  you  and  others  better  versed  in  the  mysteries 
ot  nature  than  I  am,  to  draw  your  own  conclusions.  Whatever  theory 
m^  oe  adopted,  the  facts  must  remain  the  same.  Having  discovered 
a  i^parrow's  nest  with  five  egg^,  four  and  one,  and  Uie  Sparrow  sitting. 
I  watched  the  nest  daily,  the  egg  of  the  Cow  Bird  occupied  the 
centre,  and  those  of  the  Sparrow  were  pushed  a  little  up  the  sides  of 
the  nest  Five  days  afte  ^he  discovery,  I  perceived  the  shell  of  the 
h  IV  h  d  egg  broken,  and  the  next,  the  bird  was  hatched.  The  Sparrow 
returned,  while  I  was  near  the  nest,  with  her  mouth  full  of  food,  witli 
yh;ch  she  fed  the  young  Cow  Bird,  with  every  possible  mark  of  affec- 
tioii  and  discovered  the  usual  concern  at  my  approach.  On  the  suc- 
ceeding day,  only  two  of  the  Sparrow's  eggs  remained,  and  the  next 
day  there  were  none.  I  sought  in  vain  for  them  on  the  ground,  and 
m  every  direction.  ^  ' 

"Having  found  the  eggs  of  the  Cow  Bird  in  the  nest  of  a  Yellow- 
Ihroat,  1  repeated  my  observations.  The  process  of  incubation  had 
commenced,  and  on  the  seventli  day  from  the  discovery,  I  found  a 
young  Cow  Bird  that  had  been  hatched  during  my  absence  of  twenty- 
lour  hours,  all  tJie  eggs  of  the  proprietor  remaining.  I  had  not  an  op- 
portunity of  visiting  the  nest  for  three  days,  and,  on  my  return,  there 
was  only  one  egg  remaining,  and  that  rotten.  The  Yellow-Throat 
attended  the  young  interloper  with  the  same  apparent  care  and  affec- 
tion as  it  it  had  been  its  own  offspring. 

•  "T*^f,  ^^^^  ^^"■^•'  "^  ^'■^*  discovery" was  in  a  Blue-Bird's  nest  built 
m  a  hollow  stump.  The  nest  contained  six  eggs,  and  the  process  of 
incubation  was' going  on.  Three  or  four  days  aRer  my  first  visit,  I 
tound  a  young  Cow  Bird,  and  three  eggs  remaining.  I  took  the  etrgs 
out ;  two  contained  young  birds,  apparently  come  to  their  full  time, 
and  the  other  was  rotten.  I  found  one  of  the  other  eg<rs  on  the 
ground  at  the  foot  of  the  stump,  differing  in  no  respei*  from  those  in 
tlie  nest,  no  signs  of  life  being  discoverable  in  either. 

"  Soon  after  this,  I  found  a  Goldfinch's  nest,  with  one  egg  of  each 
only,  and  I  attended  it  fcarefully  till  the  usual  complement  of  the 
owner  were  laid.  Boing  obliged  to  leave  home,  I  could  not  ascertain 
procisely  when  the  process  of  incubation  commenced :  but,  from  mv 
reckoning,  I  think  the  egg  of  the  Cow  Bird  must  have  been  hatched 
in  nme  or  ten  days  from  the  comnencement  of  incubation.  On  my 
return,  I  found  the  young  Cow  Biid  occupying  nearly  the  whole  nest, 
and  the  foster-.nother  as  attentive  to  it  as  she  could  have  been  to  her 
own.  I  ought  to  acknowledge  here,  that  in  none  of  these  instances  could 


ii 


196 


cow  BUNTING. 


I  ascertain  exactly  the  ti.no  rcquin;.!  tohatch  the  Cow  Bjrd^^^^^^^^ 
,(loa  ot  Uio  ep5?  J'^"*^ '".^f fr^^^^l^''^  io^^  t ,  explain  U.e  pl.ono.neiion ; 

by  the  Hi/.o  and  ucstlinK  of  tlie  youiur »-  •J"^^."  "^^  •  •      *     .   ,,         ^  ■ 

the  eyr,vs  ot  botl,  •''[.•'f/^"^  \",.°r  i.mtunce  tliose  of  the  Sparrow  or 
Yen  fw  B  J        w  U  no   assort  that  Ihe  supp'os.titioua  eg,  is  brought 

i  occupant  ?    By"  U.e  proprietor  of  the  "-t, -que^-n'^^jyj/- 

pro„.nts  »•-;«  J"--  J-;i  ii^t  w  re  unmatured  voun,  ones, 
found  tiie  ejTjrs  ot  the  ^P'}""""'  "/,""  ,,■  ,  ,  therefore  I  cannot  re- 
lying near  the  nest  contonm.f.     Cow  ^^^^^^^^  ^^^^  ^j. 

sist  this  cnncluBion,    JVou  d  11  c  los  er  i  ^^^^^  ^^^  .^^_ 

yr.un,?  at  the  same  t  n.c  ?     '  "^-'^^^^    '   :  „,  ,,^1^^    u.jesa  innnediately 

''*™rthc  vocal  powcn.  of  to  bW,  I  bolievo  to  ?-—.»« 


cow  nUNTINO. 

tutea  al«o  th<«  .-xprossion  of  its  pleasure  at  finding  its  companicna. 
vnry.nff  only  in  u  inorn  rapidly  repeated  monotony/ The  deportment 
ot  the  male,  diirinsf  his  promiBcuous  intoro(.iir«e  with  the  other  sex 
resemb  08  ini.d.  that  of  a  pi,roon  in  the  sum.-  nituation.  He  usos 
nearly  the  Ha.no  frestures  ;  and,  by  attentively  liNteninjr,  yon  will  hear 
a  low,  pnttural  sort  of  mnttorinjr,  which  is  tae  M.ost  a^eeablo  of  his 
notes,  and  not  unlike  tho  cooing  of  a  pigeon. 

"This,  sir,  is  the  amount  of  my  information  on  this  subject,  and  is 
no  more  than  a  transcript  from  my  notes  made  severulyeaw  airo 
l-or  ten  years  past,  since  I  have  lived  in  this  city,  many  of  the 
impressions  ot  nature  have  been  effaced,  and  artificial  id.fas  have 
occupio,!  their  places  The  pleasure  I  formerly  received  in  vieS 
and  examininar  the  objects  ot*  nature  are,  however,  not  entirely  for° 
gotton ;  and  those  which  remain,  if  they  can  interest  you,  are  entirely 
at  yonr  service.  With  the  s.ncerest  wishes  for  tlie  snrcess  of  your 
useful  and  arduous  undertaking,  I  am,  dear  sir,  yours  very  respec"- 

"^'  Nathaniel  Potter." 

To  the  above  very  interesting  detail  I  shall  add  the  following  recent 
fact  which  fell  under  my  own  observation,  and  conclude  my°accoun 
of  this  singular  species.  ^      ^-^'nu 

In  the  month  of  July  last,  I  took  from  the  nest  of  the  Maryland  yellow- 
Throat,  which  was  built  among  the  dry  leaves  at  the  root  of  a  brier  bush 
a  youn.!.  male  C„w  Bunting  which  filled  and  occupied  the  whole  nest 
I  had  previously  watched  the  motions  of  the  foster-parents  for  more 
than  an  hour,  m  order  to  ascertain  whether  any  more  of  their  youn^r 
»vere  lurking  about  or  not;  and  was  fully  satisfie.l  that  there  were 
none     They  had    m  all  probability,  perished  in  the  manner  bSe 
mentioned.     I  took  this  bird  home  with  me,  and  placed  it  in  the  same 
cage  with  a  Red-Bird,  {Loria  cardinulis,)  ^ho,  at  first,  and  for  seyeml 
minutes  after,  examined  it  closely,  and  seemingly  with  great  curiosijy 
It  soon  became  clamorous  for  food,  and  from  that  moment  the  Red-' 
Bird  seemed  to  adopt  it  as  his  own,  feeding  it  with  all  the  tSsiduitv 
and  tenderness  of  the  most  affectionate  nurse.    When  he  found  ffi 
the  grasshopper  which  he  had  brought  it  was  too  large  for  it  to  swallow 
he  took  the  insect  from  it,  broke  it  in  small  portlL,  chewed  hem  a 
httle  to  soften  them,  and,  with  all  tho  genUeness  and  delicacy  Si 
nable  put  them  separately  into  its  mouth.     He  often  spent^e^efa 
minutes  in  looking  at  and  examining  it  all  over,  and  in  picking  off  any 
particles  of  dirt  that  he  observed  on  its  plumage.    In  teaching  and 

ZTSZLX-"^'^'''  °*'^^^'''  ''   oftfn  reminded  ^M^ 

He  tried  each  art,  reproved  each  dull  delay 
Allured  to  "favorite food,"  and  led  the  way. 

This  Cow  Bird  is  now  six  months  old  ;  is  in  comnlete  nhimatrp  • 
and  repays  the  affectionate  services  of  his  foster'?"rent\?i^7frl' 
qucnt  display  of  all  the  musical  talents  with  whiclfnature  has  gifted 
fnr  fhn-  '  '\"'"^^  ^^  Confessed,  arc  far  from  being  ravishing?  yet 
for  their  s.ngnlanty,  are  worthy  of  notice.  He  spreads  his  ^inS 
swells  his  body  into  a  globular  form,  bristling  every  feather  in  tfe 
17* 


I  I'i 


.\  M 


198 


MARYLAND   YELLOW-  THROAT. 


manner  of  a  Turkey  cock,  and,  with  great  seeming  difficulty,  utters  a 
Sw  ?ow,  spluttering  notes,  as  if  proceeding  from  his  belly  ;  always, 
on  these  occasions,  strutting  =n  front  of  the  spectator  witli  great  con- 

peouential  aflectation.  „„,<v,,™o. 

To  see  the  Red-Bird,  who  is  himself  so  exce  lent  a  performer, 
silently  listening  to  all  ».iis  guttural  splutter,  reminds  me  of  the  great 
Handel  coz.tomplating  a  writched  catgut  scraper.  Pe/h^F.^^^ver 
these  maybe  meant  for  the  notes  of  We  and  g-mWtirfe  which  are 
swectcTta  the  ear,  and  dearer  to  the  heart,  than  all  the  artificial  solos 
or  concertos  on  this  side  heaven.  ,  .     ,  ■     » „ 

Tlie  length  of  this  species  is  seven  inches,  breadth  eleven  mcnes , 
the  head  a"nd  neck  are  of  a  very  deep  silky  drab  ;  tlie  upper  part  of 
the   breast,  a  dark  changeable  violet;  the  rest  of  tlie  bird  is  black, 
with  a  considerable  gloss  of  green  when  exposed  to  a  good  light;  the 
rbrni  of  the  bill  is  faithfully  represented  in  the  plate -it  is  evidently 
that  of  an  Emberiza ;  the  tail  is  slightly  forked;   legs  and  claws, 
crlossv  black,  strong  and  muscular ;  iris  of  the  eye,  dark  hazel.    Cate»by 
savs  of  tliis  bird,  "It  is   all  over  of  a  brown  color,  and  something 
liffhter  below  ;"  a  description  that  applies  only  to  the  female,  and  has 
been  repeated,  in  nearly  the  same  words,  by  almost  all  succeeding 
ornithologists.     The  young  male  birds  are  at  first  altogether  brown 
a  Id  for  S  month,  or  more,  are  naked  of  feathers  round  Uie  eye  and 
mouth;  the  breast  is  also  spotted  like  that  of  a  Thrush,  with  light 
drab  and  darker  streaks.     In  about  two  months  after  they  leave  the 
nest,  the  black  commences  at  the  shoulders  of  the  wings,  and  gradu- 
allv  increases  along  each  side,  as  the  young  feathers  come  out,  until 
the  bird  appears  mottled  on  the  back  and  breast  with  deep  black  and 
light  drab.     At  three  months,  the  colors  of  the  plumage  are  complete, 
and,  except  in  moulting,  are  subject  to  no  periodical  change. 


MARYLAND    YELLOW-THROAT  -  SYLVIA 
—  Fio.  86.  —  Female. 


MARILANDICA. 


TRICIl^S   PF.RSOJ^^TUS.  —  Swai nson.  —  Femali. 

The  male  of  this  species  having  already  been  represented,* 
accompanied  by  a  particular  detail  of  its  manners,  I  have  little  further 
to  arid  here  n'lativo  to  this  bird.  I  found  several  of  them  round  Wil- 
minrrton.  North  Carolina,  in  the  month  of  .Tamiary,  along  the  margin 
of  the  river,  and  by  the  Cypress  Swamp,  on  the  opposite  side.  1  He 
individual  from  which  the  figure  in  the  plate  was  taken,  was  tlie  actual 
nurse  of  the  young  Cow-Pen  Bunting,  whicli  it  is  represented  m  the 

HCt  of  fending.  ,        ,    ,  i... 

It  is  five  inches  long,  and  seven  in  extent ;  the  whole  upper  parts, 
green  olive  ;  something  brownish  on  the  neck,  tips  of  the  wings,  ana 
head;  the  lower  parts,  yellow,  brightest  on  the  throat  and  vent;  leg^ 

•  8ee  Fig.  19. 


SMALL   BLUE-JRAY  FLYCATCHER. 


199 


flesh  colored.  The  chief  difference  between  this  and  the  male,  in  the 
markings  of  their  plumage,  is,  that  the  female  is  destitute  of  the  black 
bar  through  the  eyes,  and  the  bordering  one  of  pale  bluish  white. 


SMALL  BLUE-GRAY    FLYCATCHER.- 
CCERULEA.  — FiG.87. 


MUSCICAPA 


Mo^acilla  coenilea,  Turton,  Syst.  i.  p.  f.l2.  — Blue  Flycatcher,  ^rf,«.  pi.  302 — 
^S"'"«„5"scus,  the  Little  Blui.sh.grav  Wren, i?ar/,am,  p.  291  -Le  Lmergm 
de?ei,Bi#  v.p^m -Cerulean  V^arbler,  Arct.   Zool.  ii.  No.299._S 

.     Syn.  IV.  p.  490,  No.  127.  —  Peak's  Museum,  No.  6829. 

CULICIVORA    C(ERVLKA Swainson.* 

Cuiicivora,  Sw.  New  Groups  in  Om.  Zool.  Joum.  No.  11,  p.  359  —  Svlvia 
ccerulea,  Bomjp.  Smop.  p.  85. -The  Blue  Gray  Flycatcher,  ^Aud.pV  84,  mae 
andfemale;  Om.  Ao^.  I.  p.  431.  ^       ,"■■"« 

This  diminutive  species,  but  for  the  length  of  the  tail,  would  rank 
next  to  our  Humming  Bird  in  magnitude.  It  is  a  very  do.xtorous 
flycatcher,  and  has  also  something  of  the  manners  of  the  Titmouse 
with  whom,  in  early  spring,  and  fall,  it  frequently  nssuciatc."  It 
arrives  m  Pennsylvania,  from  the  south,  about  the  middle  of  Annl  • 
and,  about  the  beginning  of  May,  builds  its  nest,  which  it  generally 
fixes  among  the  twigs  of  a  tree,  sometimes  at  the  heio-ht  of  ton  feet 
from  the  ground,  sometimes  fifty  feet  high,  on  the  extremities  of  th( 
tops  of  a  high  tree  in  the  woods.  Thi.s  nest  is  formed  of  very  slidi 
and  perishable  materials,  —  the  husks  of  buds,  stems  of  old  leaves 
withered  blossoms  of  weeds,  down  from  the  stalks  of  fern,  coated  oii 
the  outside  with  gray  lichen,  and  lined  with  a  few  hors-  hairs.  Yet 
\y\  this  frail  receptacle,  which  one  would  think  scarcely  sufficient  to 
admit  the  body  of  the  owner,  and  sustain  even  its  weight,  does  tlie 
female  Cow  Bird  venture  to  deposit  her  egg;  and  to  the  manao-e- 
ment  of  these  pygmy  nurses  leaves  tiie  fate  of  her  lielpless  yountr. 
The  motions  of  this  little  bird  arc  quick;  he  seems  always  on  the 
look-out  for  insects;  darts  about  from  one  part  of  the  tree  to  another 
with  hanging  wings  and  erected  tail,  making  a  feeble  chirpiim-  tsee 
fsee,  no  louder  than  a  mouse.  Though  so  small  in  itself,  it  is^umbi- 
tious  of  hunting  on  the  highest  brandies,  and  is  seldom  seen  among 
the  humbler  thickets.  It  remains  with  us  until  the  20tli  or  98th  of 
September ;  after  which  we  see  no  more  of  it  until  the  surf(>edinjr 
sprinff.  I  observed  this  bird  near  Savannah,  in  Georqia,  early  in 
March ;  but  it  does  not  winter  even  in  the  southern  parts  of  that 
state. 

The  length  of  this  species  is  four  inches  and  a  half;  extent,  six  aud 
a  half;  front,  and  line  over  the  eye,  black ;  bill,  black,  very  slender, 

*  This  species  will  represent  another  lately-formed  (feiuis,  of  which  the  Miisci- 
capa  stenurajtf  1  cmminck'a  PL  colorizes  forms  the  type.  It  is  a  curious  eronn 
connecting  lyranmda,  Setophuga,  Uie  Flycatchers,  tind  the  Sylviadm En. 


200 


WHITE-EYED    FLYC  ETCHER. 


overhanging  at  the  tip,  notched,  broad,  and  furnished  with  hnsties  at 
the  base;  the  color  of  tlie  plumage  above  is  a  light  bluish  gray, 
bluest  on  tlie  head,  below  bluish  white ;  tail,  longer  than  the  body,  a 
littie  rounded,  a-^d  black,  except  the  exterior  fathere,  which  are  al- 
most all  white  and  the  next  two  also  tipped  with  white  ;  tail-coverte, 
black :  wings,  brownish  black,  some  of  the  secondaries  next  the  body 
edged  witli  white ;  legs,  extremely  slender,  about  three  fourtlis  of  an 
3  long,  and  of  a  bluish  black  color.  The  female  is  distinguished 
bv  wanting  the  black  line  round  the  front  .  .,    •   ,  u„t 

The  food  of  this  bird  is  small  winged  insects,  and  their  larvse,  but 
particularly  the  former,  which  it  seems  ahnost  always  m  pursuit  ot. 


WHITE-EYED  FLYCATCHER. -MUSCICAPA  CANTATRIX.— 

Fig.  88. 

Muscicapa  Noveboracensis,  Gmel.  Svs^  i.  p.  W.- Hanging  Flycatcher,  I,a<A. 
8m    Suvp.  p.  174. -irc^  Zoo/,  p.  389,  No.  274.  -  Miscicapa  caniatrix,  the 
SSeiJic   Flycatcher,  or  Gr^n  Wren,  Bartram,  <p.m.- Peak's  Mu-    \ 
seum,  No.  6T78. 

riREO   JiirOVRBOItJiCEJVSIS.  —  Bov»r^KTti. 

Vireo  Noveboracensis,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.lO-'ne  \Vhite-Eved  Flycatcher,  or 
Virco,  Aiid.  pi.  63,  male  ;  Om.  Btog.  i.  p.  328. 

This  is  another  of  the  Cow  Bird's  adopted  nurses ;  a  lively,  active, 
and  sociable  little  bird,  possessing  a  strong  voice  for  its  size,  and  a 
ereat  variety  of  notes ;  and  singing  witii  little  intermission,  from  its 
first  arrival,  about  the  middle  of  April,  till  a  little  before  its  departure 
in  September.  On  the  27th  of  February,  I  heard  this  bird  m  the 
southern  parts  of  the  state  of  Georgia,  in  considerable  numbers,  smg- 
inff  wiUi  great  vivacity.  They  liad  only  arrived  a  few  days  before. 
Its  arrival  in  Pennsylvania,  after  an  interval  of  seven  weeks,  is  a  proot 
that  our  birds  of  passage,  particularly  the  smaller  species,  do  not  mi- 
ffrate  at  once  from  south  to  north ;  but  progress  daily,  keeping  com- 
rnny,  as  it  were,  with  the  advances  of  spring.  It  has  been  observed 
m  tiie  neighborhood  of  Savannah  so  late  as  the  middle  ot  JNovem- 
ber ;  and  probably  winters  in  Mexico  and  the  West  Indies. 

This  bird  builds  a  very  neat  little  nest,  often  in  the  figure  of  an  in- 
verted cone ;  it  is  suspended,  b>  the  upper  edge  of  the  two  sides,  on 
the  circular  bend  of  a  prickly  vine,  —  a  species  of  smilax  that  gener- 
ally grows  in  low  thickets.  Outwardly,  it  is  constructed  ot  va- 
rious light  materials,  bits  of  rotten  wood,  fibres  of  dry  stalks  of  weeds, 
pieces  of  paper,  commonly  newspapers,  an  article  almost  always  tound 
about  its  nest,  so  that  some  of  my  friends  have  given  it  the  noine  ot 
the  Politician;  all  these  substances  are  interwoven  with  the  silk  ot 
caterpillars,  and  the  inside  is  lined  with  fine,  dry  grass  and  hair.  Ihe 
female  lays  five  eggs,  pure  white,  marked  near  the  great  end  witft  a 
very  few  small  dots  of  deep  black  or  purple.  They  generally  raise 
two  iwoods  in  a  seaaon.     riusy  aeem  particuiariy  atiaciieu  to  uiiO«»,s 


MOTTLED   OWL. 


301 


of  this  species  of  smilax,  and  make  a  great  ado  when  any  one  cornea 
near  their  nest ;  approaching  within  a  few  feot,  looking  down,  and 
scolding  with  great  vehemence.  In  Pennsylvania  they  are  a  numer- 
ous species. 

The  White-eyed  Flycatcher  is  five  inches  and  a  quarter  long,  and 
seven  in  extent ;  the  upper  parts  are  a  fine  yellow  olive,  those  below, 
white,  except  the  sides  of  the  breast,  and  under  the  wings,  which  are 
yellow ;  line  round  the  eye,  and  spot  near  the  nostril,  also  rich  yel- 
low ;  win^s,  deep  dusky  black,  edged  with  olive  green,  and  crossed 
with  two  bars  of  pale  yellow ;  tail,  forked,  brownish  black,  edged  with 
green  olive  ;  bill,  legs,  and  feet,  light  blue  ;  the  sides  of  the  neck  in- 
cline to  a  grayish  ash.  The  female  and  young  of  the  first  season  ore 
scarcely  distinguishable  in  plumage  from  the  male. 


MOTTLED  OWL.  — STRIX  N^VIA.  —  Fio.  89. 

Ant.  Zool.  231,  No.  W^.  —  Lath.  i.  \2G.—  Turton,  i.  IGl.— Peak's  Museum, 

No.  44/1.  ^ 

STRIX  ^SrO  —  LiNN-KUH.* 

Strix  asio,  Bomp.  Synop.  p.  3G.— Hibou  asio,    Temm.  PL  col.  pi.  80.  — The 
Little  Screech  Owl,  Aiid.  pi.  97,  adult  aii<l  younef ;  Orn.  Biog.  i.  p.  4fi6. 

On  contemplating  the  grave  and  antiquated  figure  of  this  night 
wanderer,  so  destitute  of  every  thing  like  gracefulness  of  shape,  I  can 
scarcely  refrain  from  smiling  at  the  conceit  of  the  ludicrous  appear- 
ance this  bird  must  have  made,  had  Nature  bestowed  on  it  the  powers 
of  song,  and  given  it  the  faculty  of  warbling  out  sprightly  airs,  while 


robed  in  such  a  solemn  exterior. 


But  the  great  God 


of  Nature  hath, 


*  The  diflerenpe  in  the  nlumage  of  the  young  and  old  has  caused  Wilson  to 
fall  into  a  mistake,  and  multiply  species,  by  introducing  the  different  states  under 
distinct  specific  appellations.  In  Fig.  174,  is  represented  the  young  plumage  of 
the  bird,  under  the  name  which  must  be  adopted  for  it,  iis  the  original  one  of  Lin- 
ncRus.  The  Tawny  Owls  of  this  country  present  similar  changes,  and  were  long 
held  as  distinct,  until  accurate  observers  proved  their  difference.  C.  L.  Bonaparte 
appears  to  have  been  the  first  who  made  public  mention  of  the  confusion  which 
existed  ;  and  Mr.  Audubon  has  illustrated  the  sexes  and  young  in  one  of  iiis  best 
plates.  The  species  appears  peculiar  to  America.  They  are  scarce  in  the  southern 
districts  ;  but  above  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio  they  increase  in  number,  and  are  plenti- 
ful in  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  all  the  eastern  districts.  Its  range  to  the  northward 
perhaps  is  not  very  extensive ;  it  does  not  appear  to  have  been  met  with  in  the  last 
over-land  expedition,  no  mention  being  made  of  it  in  the  Northern  Zoolo^.  The 
flight  of  this  Owl,  like  its  congeners,  is  smooth  and  noiseless.  By  Audubon,  it  is 
said  sometimes  to  rise  above  the  top  branches  of  the  highest  forest-trees,  while  in 
pursuit  of  large  beetles,  and  at  other  times  to  sail  low  and  swiftly  over  the  fields 
or  through  the  woods,  in  search  of  small  birds,  field  mice,  moles,  or  wood  rats, 
from  which  it  chiefly  derives  its  subsistence.  According  to  some  gentlemen,  the 
nest  is  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  hollow  trunk  of  a  tree,  often  not  at  a  greater 
height  than  six  or  seven  feet  from  (lie  ground,  at  c  ther  times  so  high,  as  from  thirty 
to  forty.  It  is  composed  of  a  few  grasses  and  itbathers.  The  eggs  are  four  or 
five,  of  a  nearly  globular  form,  and  pure  white  color.  — Ed. 


I'i 


202 


MOTTLED  OWL. 


„,i  ♦^  this  rlasa  of  birds  a  more  unsocial,  and 
in  His  wisdom,  o>9ignc^l  to  «"«  ^'^J^^^^^^^  disposition,  by  .issimik- 

less  noble,  thoug.i,  P^'^-h^P^' ^^^  f '"  Zc"   but  in  voice,  manners,  and 
tingthom  not  only  mf^^rmof^oim^^^^  ^^^^  ^^^ 

appetite,  to  some  particAilar  licasis  oi  pr  y  ,  ^        ^.^^^^  ^^^^ 

enjVentof  the  gay  sunshine  ot  day,  an     gwm  ^     ^^ 

thin  tiie  few  solitary  hours  of  m^^^^^^^^  ^^^^^.J,  t,i^ 

cure  their  food  and  pursue  their  amours  , jn^i  ^,,^^  ^^j,  ^^^^ 

a  few  excepted,  are  wrapt  >»  f'^^^^J^T^'f^P^,  those  weaker  ani- 

character,  however  should  not^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^^^              ■     , 

mals  on  whom  they  teed,  l^'  "^^\^^, -..o„^  traits  of  their  murde^- 

arriving  here,  "'*  »f,?"'  f^'  atrt  luBfinmiB  distrtcts,  in  pr»f. 

hinl.,  beetle,,  .m  cnclj*.    It  .3  rater  a  »^^^^^^^ 

Z:.i,n«  ob"S  Suing  rSe-SSce.  dufing  day,  »he„  i.  i.  e..,ly 

:3,  i»  vision  at  .hat  t  me  be,„,  very  ™Frf»t.  _^^^ 

The  bird  represented  .n  Fp  f'  ""if^^e  roon,  beside  me  for 

pre.en  ed  to  mo  W  ;  .  "™  ;       ^  ,„„,,  ^  ,  h„e  given 

!"  '"".Ttf  h^e*"'S  r,lner  of":  S-ln  "p^^":^  to  fight, 
with  great  sharpness.    In  Ayi"?  through  the  ™.         allowed  the 

sCaS-bS;bM:|^3^1x^^^^^ 

When  anfrry,  it  snapped  its  bill  repeateaiy  "iui  v  , 

The  Mot  ed  Owl  is  ten  inches  long,  and  twenty-two  m  extent ;  the 


MEADOW  LARK. 


203 


pted  with  raeged  streaks  of  black,  and  small  transverse  touches  of 
brown  ;  lege,  feathered  nearly  to  the  claws,  with  a  kind  of  hairy  dowl 
ot  a  uale  brown  color;  vent  and  under  tail-coverts  white,  the  latter 
shphtly  marked  with  brown;  iris  of  the  eye,  a  brilliant  golden  yebw; 
bill  and  clavra,  bluish  horn  color.  '^"j'ciiuw, 

This  was  a  female.  The  male  is  considerably  less  in  size ;  the 
SerrablT  """^  ^^  '''^'^^  °"  ^^"^  win^r-coverts  not  so 

Hollow  trees,  either  in  the  woods  or  orchard,  or  close  overffreens  in 
retired  situations^  are  the  usual  roostinp-places  of  this  and  most  of  our 

S«  M^J^'^f  f*  rJ}^^^  '■^^''^^'  ^^''•^^^'•'  "'^  frequently  discovered  by 
tlie  Nuthatch,  Titmouse,  or  Blue  Jay,  who  instantly  raise  the  alarm ;  a 
promiscuous  group  of  feathered  neighbors  soon  collect  round  the  spot, 
Ike  crowds  m  the  streets  of  a  large  city,  when  a  thief  or  murdere?  is 
detected  ;  and,  by  their  insults  and  vociferation,  oblige  the  recluse  to 
seek  for  another  lodging  elsen'here.  This  may  account  for  the  cir- 
cumstance of  someUmes  finding  them  abroad  during  the  day,  on  fences 
and  other  exposed  situations. 


MEADOW  LARK.-ALAUDA  MAGNA. -Fig.     .. 

Lim.  Syst.m-CTCscenl  Stare,  Arct.  Zool.  330,  No.  192,  Lath.  iii.  6,  var.  A.- 
Le  fer-fV-chcval,  ou  .Merle  a  Collier  d'Amerique,  B„ff.  iii.  p.  371.  _  datesb  Car 
I.  pi.  33.  -  BaHram,  p.  290.  _  Peak's  Mtiseum,  ^o.dm 

STUHN'F.Lt^   /,tl/)Of'/CMJVW.-Sw.u!t.oi«  * 

Slurnus  Lmlovicianus  (sub-genus  Sturnella,)  Bonap.  Stpiop.  p.  49. -Slun.elfe 
coHans,    VinU.   Gal.  des  Ois.  pi- 80. -Sturnella  Lud'viciai.a,  .V„r</,  Si 

Thocoh  this  well-known  species  cannot  boast  of  the  powers  of 
song  which  distinguish  that  "harbinger  of  day,"  the  Sky  Lark  of 
Europe,  yet  in  richness  of  plumage,  as  well  as  in  sweetness  of  voice, 

*  ?n  olianc;ii.g  the  spccifir  name  of  tills  species,  C.  L.  Bonaparte  thinks  that  Wil- 
o„  must  have  been  misled  by  some  European  author,  as  he  was  aoquai  tcl  wi  h 
tl.0  works  whereu,  ,t  was  previously  dnsrriberl.  It  'ou,aht  to  remain  lor  the 
appellation  bestowed  on  U  by  Linnanus,  IJri.son,  &c.  w'iih  re-ar.l  to  the  ffeiprio 
term,  this  curious  lorn,  has  been  chosen  bv  Vieillol.  as  the  type  of  his  Rcnus  Sfur- 
ve^  contaunng  yet  only  two  species,- that  of  Wilson. -alid  nnothfr  ."ouf  he 
southern  continent.  The  form  is  peculiar  lo  the  New  Worl.l.  and  seems  ,o  have 
been  a  subject  of  uncertainty  to  most  ornithologists,  as  we  find  it  placed   in  the 

flil'eTh!  ";'•''  '^""^"'■'  '^'V"'"'  ""-^  ^^''■"^'"^'  '"  all  "'•  which  ills  omewM 
allied,  bu  to  none  can  it  rank  as  a  congener.  In  the  bill,  head,  an.l  wings,  wiih 
some  modihcation,  we  have  the  forms  of  the  two  tirsl  and  last;  In  the  color^  of  the 
plumage  the  elongation  of  the  scapularies  and  tail-covcrts,  in  the  legs  fret  and 
knder  claw,  that  of  the  Alnuda..  fhe  tarsi  and  feet  arc  deci<ledly  ambSrial 
as  IS  confirmed  by  the  habits  of  the  species,  though  the  tail  indicates  that  of  a 

In  th^T'^i,' ':±  ^JV"  ^^:  "'  T  y^^  i"'"^'  "  '"  '*•«  °»'i'  ""J'o^'i^n  of  this  power. 
«?  It  w^  n  *  '  -^  T^l'  "^^  ^^V«  the  weaving  of  the  tcten,  the  situation  of  many 
of  the  Warblers,  and  the  form  of  the  true  Wrens.  —  Ed. 


204 


MEADOW  LARK. 


(BBfainB  his  few  notes  extend,)  he  stands  eminently  it«  supenor.  He 
SfiS^  from  the  ffreater  part  ol  his  tribe  m  wantmg  the  long  straight 
hiS  daTwhiclfis  probably  the  reason  why  he  has  been  classed,  by 
sle  latl'naturalists,  witli  the  SUrlings  fiut  m  U..  P^rtvcuto  ^^^^^^ 
ofhisbilhin  his  manners,  plumage  mode  and  place  of  building  his 
nest  Nature  has  clearly  pointed  out  his  proper  family. 

ThS  Vpecies  has  a  ver?  extensive  range,  having  rnyself  found  U.em 
in  Unper'^Canada,  and  in  each  of  the  states,  from  New  Hampshire  o 
New  Orleans.  Mr.  Bartram  also  informs  me,  that  they  are  equally 
abundant  in  East  Florida.  Their  favorite  places  ot  retreat  are  pasture 
fidds  and  meadows,  particularly  the  latter,  which  have  conferred  on 
Siem  Er  specific  name ;  and  no  doubt  supplies  then,  abundantly 
Stlieiartfcular  seeds  and  insects  on  which  they  teed.  They  are 
mrely  or  never  seen  in  the  depth  of  Uie  woods  ;  unless  where,  instead 
of  underwood,  the  ground  is  covered  witli  rich  grass,  as  in  th«  Chac- 
taw  and  Chickasaw%ountries,  where  I  met  with  them  in  considerable 
number  in  the  months  of  May  and  June  The  extensive  and  luxu- 
riint  prairies  between  Vincennes  and  St  Louis  elso  abound  with 

*iUs  probable  that,  in  the  more  rigorous  regions  of  the  north,  they 

mav  be  birds  of  passage,  as  they  are  partially  so  here  ;  tliough  I  htivo 

S  thramonluie  me'adows  of  New  Jersey,  and  those  that  border 

the  Rivei  Delaware  and  Schuylkill,  in  all  seasons  ;   ev  an  when  he 

Sound  was  deeply  covered  with  snow.    There  is  scarcely  a  nmrKe 

K  in  Philadelphia,  from  September  to  March,  but  they  may  be  found 

SSosed  to  sale     They  are  generally  considered,  for  size  and  delicacy, 

Strinferior  to  the  qLu,  of  what  is  here  usually  called  the  Partridge, 

and  va"ued  accordingly.    I  once  met  with  a  few  of  these  birds  m    le 

month  of  Februarj',  during  a  deep  snow,  among  the  heignta  ot  tie 

Alleghany    between  Shippensburgh  and  So-nc^et^  gleamng  on    he 

roadf  in  company  with  tlie  small  Snow  Birds       n  the  state  ot  South 

Carol  na  and  Georgia,  at  the  same  season  of  the  year,  they  swarm 

among  the  rice  plantations,  running  about  the  yards  and  out-houses^ 

accompanied  by  the  Killdeers,  with  little  appearance  of  fear,  as  if  quite 

°These  bfrds,  after  the  building  season  is  over,  collect  in  flocks,  but 
seldom  fly  in  a  close,  ..mpact  body  ;  their  flight  is  something  in  the 
manner  ot  the  GrouLe  and  Partridge,  laborious  and  st^-^'  «^' 1"^^; 
and  renewing  the  rapid  action  of  the  wings  alternately.    When  they 
diiht  on  tries  or  bushes,  it  is  generally  on  the  tops  ot  the  highent 
branches,  whence  they  send  forth  a  long,  clear,  and  somewhat  melan- 
choly note,  that,  in  sweetness  and  tenderness  ot  expression,  is  not 
surpassed  by  any  of  our  numerous  Warblers.    This  is  «onietimes  W- 
lowed  by  a^  kind  of  low,  rapid  chattering,  the  particular  call  of    he 
.  female  ;  and  acrain  tlie  clear  and  plaintive  strain  is  repeated  as  before 
They  afford  toFerablv  good  amusement  to  the  sportsman,  being  most 
easily  shot  while  on" wing;   as  they  frequently  squat  among  the  long 
™  and  spring  within  gunshot    The  nest  of  Uiis  species  is  built 
lenerally  in,  or  below,  a  thick  tuft,  or  tussock,  of  grass;   it  is  com- 
Sosed  of  dry  grass,  and  fine  bent,  laid  at  the  bottom,  and  wound  all 
Sound  Iea7i4  an  arched  entrance  level  with  the  ground ;  the  inside 


BLACK  AND  WHITi:  CREEPER. 


I     I 


205 


regularity.  Tho  oggs  are  four,  some,  .nes  five,  white,  marked  with 
specks,  and  several  large  blotches  of  rocriish  brown,  chiefly  at  the  tliick 
end.  Their  food  consists  of  caterpillars,  grub  worms,  beetles,  and 
grass  seeds,  with  a  considerable  proportion  of  gravel.     Their  ffcneml 

caXVtVioKeM  iS^  '™™^'  '''  ^''^'""^"«'  '^^^  ^  '-"^ 
The  length  of  this  bird  is  ten  inches  and  a  half ;  extent,  sixteen 
and  a  half;  throat,  breast,  belly,  and  line  from  the  eye  to  the  nostrils 
ncli  yellow  ;  inside  lining  and  edge  of  the  wing,  the  same  ;  an  oblong 
crescent  of  deep  velvety  black  ornaments  tlie  lower  part  of  the  tliroaf 
lesser  wing-coverts,  black,  broadly  bordered  with  pale  ash;  rest  of  the 
wing-toaUiers  light  brown,  handsomely  serrated  with  black;  a  line  of 
yellowish  white  divides  the  crown,  bounded  on  each  side  by  a  stripe 
of  black,  intermixed  with  bay,  and  another  lino  of  yellowish  white 
passes  over  each  eye,  backwards;  cheeks,  bluish  white;  back,  and 
rest  of  the  upper  parte,  beautifully  variegated  with  black,  briirht  bav 
and  pale  ochre ;  tail  wedged,  the  feathers  neatly  pointed,  the  fow 
outer  ones  on  each  side,  nearly  all  white ;  sides,  thighs,  and  vent,  pale 
yellow  ochre,  streaked  witli  black;  upper  mandible,  brown;  lower, 
bluish  white  ;  eyelids,  furnished  with  strong,  black  hairs  ;  leers  and 
feet,  very  large,  and  of  a  pale  flesh  color.  ^ 

The  female  has  tlie  black  crescent  more  skirted  with  gray,  and  not 
of  so  deep  a  black.  In  the  rest  of  her  markings,  the  plumage  differs 
httle  from  that  of  the  male.  I  must  here  take'  notice  of  a^  n^sS 
committed  by  Mr.  Edwards  in  his  History  of  Birds,  vol.  vi.  d  133 
where,  on  the  authority  of  a  bird-dealer  of  London,  he  describes  tiS 
Calandre  Lark,  (a  native  of  Italy  and  Russia,)  as  belonging  also  to 
Nortli  America,  and  having  been  brought  from  CarolinaT  f  can  say 
with  confidence,  tliat,  in  all  my  excursions  through  that  and  the  rest  of 
the  Southern  btates,  I  never  met  such  a  bird,  nor  any  person  who  had 
ever  seen  iL  I  have  no  hesitation  in  believing,  that  the  Calandre  is 
not  a  native  of  the  United  States. 


^11 


BLACK   AND   WHITE  CREEPER.  - CERTHIA   MACULATA 

—  Fig.  91. 

£rf.c.  pi.  3W.-VVliite  Poll  Warbler,  Arct.  Zoo/.  402,    No.  293. -Le  figuier 

SYLVICOLA  K;«/i/A— Jabdine.* 

Sylvia  Taria,  Bonap.  Sywp.  p.  81.— Le  Mniotilla  varie,  Mniolilla  varia,  VieiU 

GaU.  des  CHs.  pi.  IG'J. 

This  nimble  and  expert  little  species  seldom  perches  on  the  small 
twigs ;  but  circumambulates  the  trunk  and  larger  branches,  in  quest  of 

10 


II:-: 


206  PINE-OREEPING  WARBLER. 

anta  and  other  msect^wiU.  f  jn.jabb  dexte^^^^^  the  "00",!^^  l^o 
rfy  earl^r  in  Jujy  ;  W'*^     iCm  describes  Uus  bird  as  an  mliabitant  o 

by  Kdwi^s  tau  a  dr.cd  *"/™Vrnatura  ""have  cl.»oa  it  mtl. 
gave  ,t .«  |.r«c„t  °r  «•.    '^^SIKtnaeavoro^  to  rcrtiiy.       , 

„ir„ri^  ^^^y^aWd  »iU,ggeo^^^^ 

and  also  »n«l«^  ,'=«vf^|^i''^^^t .  hind  claw  the  longest,  and  all  very 
the  throat,  having  that  part  ot  a  grayish  whit«. 


PINE-CREEPING  WARBLER. -SYLVIA  PINUS.-F.o.  92. 

Pine  Creeper,  Calesb.  i.  61.  -  Peak's  Museum,  No.  7312. 
SYLVWOLA  P/.VaS.-JARDiNE. 
Sylvia  pinus,  Bomp.  Stptop.  p.  81. 
r„  1   w.ti.nnirip  woods  of  the  Southern  States,  where 


•    1% 


LOUISIANA   TA.N  LGEIl. 


207 


19  a  simple,  roiteratr  !  cl.oruj    continuod  for  tour  or  five 


Its  note 
seconds. 

Catoby  first  figured  and  described  thi.  bird;  hut  so  imperfoctlv  n^ 
to  produce  au.ong  succee.lin|r  .vritern  oroat  c,,i.l»«i,  rami  ,m,w 
mistakes  as  to  what  particular  Cini  ua.  ^I^lukI.kI.  Edwarin  h Is  Z^ 
posed  It  to  be  the  Blue-wi„go<i  Velio w  Warbler!  Latham  \Z  hu» 
Dosed  anotlier  species  to  be  meant;  au.l  tlu.  wcuU.y  Mr  Pe„^,t  £ 
been  led  into  the  same  mistakos  ;  duHcribin.r  the  mat  of  on.  S,  e? 
and  the  emale  of  another,  as  the  male  ami  ronmio  Pino  (So? 
Having  shot  and  examined  great  nu.„bor.M  ofthono  birds,  ll,  enaboi 

The  Pine-creeping  Warbler  is  five  and  a  half  inches  lonir  and  nine 
inches  in  extent ;  the  whole  upj.er  parts  are  of  a  rich  grS.lve  S 
a  considerable   tinge  of  yellow;   throut,  sides,  and hrcast  fellow 
wings  and  tail,  brown,  with  a  slight  cast  of  blui;h,  the  StVSed 
w itli  two  ban}  of  white,  slightly  tinged  with  yellow  ;  tail  fbrked  an 
edged  with  ash;  Uie  U.ree  exterior  toath.,rs,  nmrked  nea  tirt  ,,  w  3 
a  broad  snot  of  white;  middle  of  the  bellj'  and  ventSers,  S 
The  female  ,s  brown  tinged  with  olive  green  on  tiie  back;  breast: 
dirty  white,  or  slightly  yellowish.     Tiie  bill  in  both  is  truly  that  of  a 

The  food  of  tliese  birds  is  tiie  seeds  of  the  nitcli  nine  and  vnrin.i« 
kinds  of  bugs.  The  nest,  according  to  Mr.  Ablot  is'  "'pSedTom 
the  horizontal  fork  of  a  branch,  and  formed  outwardly  of  slips  of  grar 
vine  bark  rotten  wood,  and  caterpillars'  ,ebs,  witii  somct  mes  Ses 
of  hornets'  nests  int.rwoven;  and  is  lined  with  dry  pine  leave. ,  and 

s%"aUhe  g^Ten  J''^  ''''  ^'^  ''^'^  '"'^^^  -^*-  ^-^  '^-^  ^-" 
These  birds,  aseociating  in  flocks  of  twenty  or  thirty  individuals 
are  found  m  die  depUi  of  the  pine  barrens  ;  and  are  eJiiytnoTh; 
Jeir  manner  of  rising  from  the  ground,  and  alighting  on  the  body  of 
Uietree.  They  also  often  glean  among  the  topmost  bou"hs  of  the 
pine-tree,  hanging,  head  downwards,  like  Uio  Titmouse 


LOUISIANA  TANAGER- TAN  AGRA  COLUMBlANUS.-F,o.93. 

Peak's  Museum,  No.  6236 
PYRJiJVOjtl  LUDOnCMJ^jl.-jAUD  NE. * 

Taiiagra  Ludoviciana,  5onap.  Synop  p.  105._Pyra„ga  crythropis,  VidU.  auci. 

liotiap. 

JiJ^/f  ^a'^'  f."*^  *^^  l"""  ''^^'^  ^"^  o<=*^"Py  the  same  plate,  were 
discovered  in  Uie  remote  regions  of  Louisiana,  by  an  exploring  party 

,0^  U  i:  iX:^V^  i:'^^.  f^rif "?"  °;  "-  "'■•''•    ^^  -Pl--  very  rare ; 
..  r a„i  u.e  .„!!,„„  coHectiuha  (Jo  not  posscss  any  specimen.  — Ed. 


309 


LOUISIANA  TANACWl. 


„„,er  the  co.,mna  C  Captain  J'-^'l^Jl^lrtl^^cS?.^^^ 
tenant,  now  O.-umuI,  '.  .;-'  :  -'^J,-;;;  ^^hey  arc  entitled  to  a 
across  tho  Contmou.  t  I.  «  amf.rican  ()k:nithoi.ouv,  both  a« 
,listinfi..isho,l  plaoo  "\  '  gn  ,  -„  to  nutnraliHb.,  an.l  as  '"^  'V««  »* 
^T'f^^'^rt;;^!^?^-;!!  Ihat  at  no  aiHtant  peru.d,  part  ot  the 

:Si";  S^^-y"^";^r  a  n^ under  con«iderat.on,  an  well  a«  of 
The  frail  rcuumw  of  the  bird  "o""  """,,^^1^  j,,  hin  ,nUH(nui.,  with  ns 
tho  other  two,  '"'V<' been  Bet  up  by  Mr  A  cal^^,^^     ^^^  .^    ^,j.  ^,,,„     „, 
,nuch  neatness  ««  the  HtaU>  ot  the  Hlun      ^^^^ .  J^i„„^  t,,,.  ,„„Ht  perlect 
Uiese,  which  were  put  into  my  hanosT  ,„„,kings  ^u>re  as  tol- 

was  selected  tor  ^hc  dra«  ng      It.  J«   ^    .^j     „d  wmgn,  black; 

lows -.-Length,  SIX  '"f.^^'^J^^h  yellow;  the  next  superior  row 
the  greater  wing-covcrtfl,  tipped  wiiny  ^       ^^^^^^   j^^^^^        rt 

whofly   y.-llow;   •f'^^^^.'eeadU^  and  beyond  the  eyes,  ight 
greenish  yellow;  torcpart  ot  "'« '"'.'''^' j         „f  the   upper  niandible, 

Lrlet;  bill,   y^""^'^  l"^\o     legs,  iS  tail,  slightly  forked 

raggcd,asintlu3  rest  of  Its  tribe,  ic^n^  figure  about  the  size,  and 

and  edged  with  dull  ^ ''^'«''  ,  ^'L^X^ranager,  (Figs.  4     and  4b;) 
much  resembling  m  «''';?«' J''?  ^'^S'  the  b!ack  back  and   yellow 
but  evidently  a  ' 'ff'^'-^."\,XTo„ \h~ 
coverts.     Some  of  the  t^^^J^"^^ /^^,  J^"  I  sSppos.nl  to  be  the  female,  or  a 

%Snn;:^;  .onus,  to  ttj:^^^^:^'.^^:^ 

Hubject  to  changes  o  '^"/"J?  ^^t-  rS-ircL  Some  of  those  that 
second  seasons,  and  also  periodicity,  an  ^^  ^  ^^^^^   ^ 

mhabit  Pennsylvania,  ^'\^"f,^J[Tcar'et  ra"d,  I  confess,  when  the 
yellow,  and,  laistly,  to  a  ^^^1'^"^  ''^JJ^'^j'^^  ..a^first  shown  me,  I  sus- 
Jreserved  specimen  of  ^'^^  P"^^^^"*,;^  ,innlar  change  at  the  time  it 
nected  it  to  have  been  passing  tnroi^"  j^j  gof  the  same  species, 

^i  taken.    But,havingexanjiined  two  more  sk^^  .^  seldom  the 

and  finding  theiri  a  1  XfS  wh  e  moulting,  I  began  to  Ui.nk 
prairies  are  said  to  abou  id. 


CLARK'S  CROW. 


CLARK'S  CROW— CORVUS  COLUMHIANUS.— Kio.  94. 

Prale't  Afusmm,  No.  1371. 

COHVVS  COLUMBMJfUS. -Wtiioft. 

Corvui  ColumbiaiuiN,  Hmtap.  Hijnop.  p.  66. 

This  spocjes  rcHombloH,  a  littlo,  the  .Iiickdaw  of  Etiropo,  (Corvua 
mnnvdufn,)  but  ia  reiriarkablo  for  its  lormidublo  claws,  whicli  approach 
to  tliosn  of  tho  Falco  gonuM,  and  would  Ht-oui  to  intiuiato  that  its  food 
conniHti*  of  living  animalH,  for  whoso  doHtructiou  thoHo  woajmnh  iinist 
be  nnc(!H,sary.  In  converHation  with  different  inilividuabi  of  tJin  party, 
1  underntood  that  this  bird  inhabits  the  slioren  of  the  ('ohuubia,  and 
tile  adjacent  country,  in  {rroat  niuuborH.fretiuentinjr  the  rivers  and  sea- 
Hliore,  probably  fpedin<r  on  flsh  ;  and  that  it  has  all  the  trrofrarious  and 
noisy  habitii  of  the  European  specie.-*,  sevornl  of  the  party  supposing  it 
to  be  the  same.  Fig.  J)4  was  drawn  with  pnrticular  care,  alter  a  mi- 
nute examination  and  measurement  of  the  only  pioserved  skin  that 
was  saved,  and  which  is  now  deposited  in  Mr.  Peale's  muscmn. 

This  bird  measures  thirteen  inches  in  length;  the  wings,  tho  two 
middle  tail-featliers,  and  tlie  interior  vanes  of  the  ne.\t,  (except  at  tho 
tip,)  are  black,  glossed  witli  steel-blue ;  all  the  secondarie.s,  except  the 
tliree  next  the  body,  are  white  for  an  inch  at  their  extremities,  forming 
a  large  spot  of  white  on  that  part  when  the  wing  is  shut;  the  tail  ia 
rounded,  yet  the  two  middle  feathers  are  somewhat  shorter  than  those 
adjoining ;  all  the  rest  are  pure  white,  except  as  already  described ; 
tlie  general  color  of  the  liead,  neck,  and  body,  above  and  below,  is  a 
light,  silky  drab,  darkening  almost  to  a  dove  color  on  the  breast  and 
belly ;  vent,  white ;  claws,  black,  la 
middle  and  hind  claw  ;  legs,  also  bli 
of  the  eye,  unknown. 

In  the  state  of  Georgia,  rind  several  parts  of  West  I  ,ia,  1  uiscuv- 
ered  a  Crow,  not  hitherto  taken  notice  of  by  nnt>irah8l«,  rath«'r  larger 
than  the  present  species,  hut  much  re.semblitiii  it  in  the  form  and 
length  of  its  wings,  in  it-s  tail,  and  particulnrh'  its  daws.  This  bird 
is  a  constant  attendant  along  the  bordern  ol"  caiii-  and  stagnating 
ponds,  feeding  on  small  fish  and  lizards,  whicii  i  have  many  tinfes  seen 
him  seize  as  he  swept  along  the  surface.  A  well-preserved  specimen 
of  this  bird  was  presented  to  Mf  Peale,  ami  is  now  in  his  museum. 
It  is  highly  probable  that,  with  tlieae  external  resemblances,  tlie  liabita 
of  both  may  be  nearly  alike. 
18* 


'o,  and  hooked,  particrlarly  the 
k;  bill,  a. dark  horn  color;  iris 


^uscov- 


'   flif 

']4u 


310 


LEWIS'S  WOODPECKER 


LEWIS'S  WOODPECKER. -PICUS  TORQUATUS.- Fio.  95. 

PeaU's  Museum,  No.  2020. 

MEL^M-KHPESI  T0RClUJlTOS.-HnDi«t.* 

Picus  torquatus,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  46. 

Of  this  verv  beautiful  and  singularly-marked  species,  I  am  unable 
to  gfve  any  fuXr  account  than  %  relates  foj^  externa  appearance 
Spveral  skins  of  this  species  were  preserved,  all  of  which  1  examinea 
^UiTare'  and  found  little  or  no  difference  among  them,  either  m  the 
tints  or  dispositipn  of  the  colors.  . 

The  lenirth  of  tiiis  was  eleven  mches  and  a  half,  the  back,  wings, 
and  tai  were  black,  witli  a  strong  gloss  of  green;  upper  part  of  tiie 
head  iie  "me  front,  chin,  and  cheeks  beyond  tiie  eyes  a  dark,  rich 
red  \oundtire  neck  passcL  a  broad  collar  of  white,  which  spreads 
^vlv  r  breast  and  looks  us  if  tiie  fibres  of  the  featiiers  had  been  sil- 
;Sd  these  feathers  are  also  of  a  particular  structure,  the  fibres  being 
verea.  incse  ibauiers    I  f       „     ^        vermilion,  and  of  tiie 

separate,  and  of  a  hair-like  texture  ,  "*^!*>' "^3,  •,„„.„  '  „.  vont 
same  strong,  hair-like  feathers,  intermixed  witii  .silvery  ones ,  vent^ 
bE;  legs  and  foet,  dusky,  inclining  to  greenish  blue;  bill,  dark 

^'°For  a  more  particular,  and  doubtiess  a  more  correct  account  of  tiiis 

,n,UlWtierbY  those  two  enterprising  travellers,  whose  intrepidity 
■  s  0  arequalied^y  tl'cir  discretion,  and  by  tiieir  active  and  laborious 

mru°  of  whatever  niight  tend  to  render  their  journey  useful  to  sci- 
puu.uit  01  ^'''}"^r'^'  ^  T.  ^1  g  request  and  particular  wish  of 
r'^uLin  Lt  in^  n  iorLn,  tiiat^  I  should  Ue  drawings  of 

Md^  of  TirfoaSod  tribes  as  had  been  preserved,  and  were  new. 
That  4vve  soldier,  that  amiable  and  excellent  man,  over  whose  soh- 

inai  oravc  buiu  j  j  ■        ^  jgj  tears  ot  affliction,  liav- 

cLeSathS  tins  luaalllo  note  to  liis  memory,  until  a  more  able  pen 
shall  do  bettor  justice  to  tiie  subject 

e;:li  ;vil?s;p;o;o;tnof  toes,'and  AM.d.oi-^^e  colors,  seen,  however,  .0 
bree-liug  on  the  Rocky  Mounla.us,  to  resemble  the  male  closclj.-  l.u. 


CANADA  JAY. 


211 


CANADA  JAY.-CORVUS  CAJVADENSIS.  —  Fig.  96. 

Linn.  Sijst.  158.  — Cinereous  Crow,  Arct.  Zool.  p.  248,  No.  137.  — I^*  i  389  _ 
Le  Geay  brun  de  Canada,  flm«.  ii.  64. —B«<^.  iii.  117. 

GARRULVS  CAJVjlDEJf SIS.  — Syr jititton. 

Corvus  Canadensis,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  68.  —  Garrulus  Canadensis,  North.  Zool.  ii 

p.  295. 

Were  I  to  adopt  the  theoretical  reasoning  ef  a  celebrated  French 
naturalist,  I  might  pronounce  this  bird  to  be  a  debased  descendant 
from  the  Common  Blue  Jay  of  the  United  States,  degenerated  by  the 
influence  of  the  bleak  and  chilling  regions  of  Canada,  or  perhaps  a 
sptinous  production  between  the  Blue  Jay  and  tlie  Cat  Bird-  or  what 
would  be  more  congenial  to  the  count's  ideas,  trace  its  degradation  to 
the  circumstance  of  migrating,  some  thousand  years  ago,  from  the 
genial  shores  of  Europe,  —  where  notliing  like  degeneracy  or  decrra- 
dation  ever  takes  place  among  any  of  God's  creatures.  I  shall,  how- 
ever, on  the  present  occasion,  content  myself  with  stating  a  few  partic 
ulars  better  supported  by  facts,  and  more  consonant  to  the  plain 
homespun  of  common  sense. 

This  species  inhabits  the  country  extending  from  Hudson's  Bay 
and  probably  farther  north,  to  the  River  St  Lawrence;  also,  in  win-' 
ter,  the  inland  parts  of  the  District  of  Maine  and  northern  tracts  of  the 
btates  ot  Vermont  and  New  York.  When  the  season  is  very  severe 
with  deep  snow,  they  sometimes  advance  farther  south,  but  generally 
return  northward  as  the  weather  becomes  more  mild. 

The  character  given  of  this  bird  by  the  people  of 'those  parts  of  the 
country  where  it  inliabits,  is,  tliat  it  feeds  on  black  moss,  worms,  and 
even  flesh ;  when  near  habitations  or  tents,  pilfers  every  tiling  it  can 
come  at ;  is  bold,  and  comes  even  into  tlie  tent  to  eat  meat  out  of  tlie 
dishes ;  watches  tlie  hunters  while  baiting  their  traps  for  martens,  and 
devours  the  bait  as  soon  as  tlieir  backs  are  turned;  that  they  breed 
early  m  spring,  building  tlieir  nests  on  pine-trees,  forming  them  of 
sticks  and  grass,  and  lay  blue  eggs  ;  that  they  have  two,  rarely  three 
young  at  a  time,  which  are  at  first  quite  black,  and  continue  so  for 
some  time  ;  that  they  fly  in  pairs  ;  lay  up  hoards  of  berries  in  liollow 
trees ;  are  seldom  seen  m  January,  unless  near  houses ;  are  a  kind  of 
Mock  Bird ;  and,  when  caught,  pine  away,  though  their  appetite  ri?\cr 
fails  them ;  notwithstanding  all  which  ingenuity  and  good  qualities 
they  are,  us  we  are  informed,  detested  by  the  natives.*  ' 

The  only  individuals  of  this  species  'that  I  ever  met  witli  in  the 
United  States  wore  on  tlie  shores  of  tlie  Moliawk,  a  sliort  way  above 
the  Little  Falls.  It  was  about  the  last  of  November,  when  ttie  ground 
was  deeply  covered  witli  snow.  There  were  tiiree  or  four  in  company 
or  witiun  a  small  distance  of  eacli  oliier.  flitting  leisurely  along  the' 
road-side,  keeping  up  a  kind  of  low  ciiattoiing  ^vitll  one  anotlie^  and 

•  IIeakne's  Jo,  iwy,  p.  m. 


■4. 


i^t    *-..! 


„,„  SNOW   BUNTING. 

seemed  nowise  apprehensive  at  my  approac^.        soon  ^^^^^^^^^^ 

iped  svitli  dirty  white  ;  interior  vanes  of  «^e  7\"f;^  ^^^  prominent ; 
partly  tipped  with  white;  P^«""^?^  °^^rnoS  as  well  as  the  whole 
&oreh?ad,and  fathers  cover  ng  ^£0^0  passes  round  the  hot- 
lower  parts,  a  dirty  brownish  3«' ™;,^wn  and  hind  head,  black  -, 

1,0  that  he  has  particularly  observed  th^s  Dim  .^  ,^^^^^ 

commencement  «f/«W  weather    He  to  o^^^^^^^        ^^^^^^  ^^^^^^^3^ 

habits.     It  seemed  to  ^^^'^^Xj^^Uaf  ye"  would  sometimes,  tow- 
keeping  aunost  -^^^^af  V  oi^Uie  grouna^^^y^        ^^^  .^ 

ards  evening,  mount  to  th«  top  ot  a^  .    ^^^^  fo,  a  quarter  ot  an 

iSogeili^n  St:  1^-1%  did  immediately  before  snow  or 
falling  weatlier. 


SNOW  BUNTING. -EMBERIZA  NIVALIS. -Fio.  97. 

^r    ,       iv.  No  222  —Tawny  Bunline,  Br.  Zool.  No. 

No.  3900. 

PLECTROPIMJ^RS  myJlUS.-m.^^* 

.   ■  "Hi       Snow  Burning,  Mont.  Om.  Diet.  i. 

tropliaiu-s)  nNalis,  Aor(/i.  Zo<w.      F  .  -.        • 

I.  .u    o  hi  rk  common  to  both  continents,  its  mi- 

Th.s  being  one  o    th<««  ^'-Jj/^J^T^^^  of  forty  or 

jrrations  extending  "jl'^^'V  rmannera  and  peculiarities  having  been 
fifty  degrees  around;  and  its  manners  an    v 

u  ™.  r,f  nlumatrc  has  been  mulliplied  inlo 
.  Thi.  s,H<ies,  fron,  its  various  changes  0^"-'^^^--  ^^^^  ,„;,„,,  'uoed  hv 
several ;  ami  in  fonn  bemg  allied  to  "  ^-^J  f/^^'.^.J^ume  a  place  for  itseff,  and,  w,i , 
duVereu  ornitholoRists.  Meyer  l^'f  •''«  ^''^."litute  his  genus  Pkctroplmnex,  winch 
a  econ^,  tl'«  -f"".^'"''  ''"PP""' ,  So  ,r  vstcms.  The  l.screpancies  of  form  were 
h,  generally  adopted  into  »"'  "  f '  ^^^  ."g  i„  his  predecessor,  made  the  genus 
'if  seent;y  Vieijlot,  who,  w.lhout  a  e  h,,^^^^  ^^^^^^  j^^  ^rV'll'l  ll  ha 
f^-^raldS  !,i;'r'p;-.ac^of  Musignano,  and  figured  .„   Vol.  III.    h  has 


SNOW  BUNTING 


213 


long  familiarly  known  to  the  naturalists  of  Europe,  I  shall  in  this  nlace 
avail  myself  of  the  most  interesting  parts  of  the  r  accounts  subioin 
.ng  such  particulars  as  have  fallen  unJer  my  own  observation'    ^ 

'These  birds,"  says  Mr.   Pennant,  "inhabit  not  only  Greenland  * 
but  even  the  dreadful  climate  of  Spitzbergen,  where  ^veSon  is 

rS^f '''"'*'  "r*^  ''""''fy  '^"y  hut  cry plogamous  plants"areSn  f 
Ittharefore  excites  wonder,  how  birds,  which  are  graminivorous  n 
every  o  her  than  those  frost-bound  regioils,  subsist ;  yet  are  there  found 
in  great  flocks,  both  on  the  land  and  ice'of  Spitz'bergen.f    They  an 
nnalypassto  this  country  by  way  of  Norway ;  forf  in  the  sprin" 
flocks  innumerable  appoar,  especially  on  the  Norwegian  isles,  contin,re 
only  three  weeks,  and  then  at  once  disappear.^     As^they  do  not  breed 
n  Hudson's  Bay,  ,t  is  certain  that  many  retreat  to  this  last  of  la.S 
and  totally  uninhabited,  to  perform,  in  full  security,  the  duties  of  lov, 
mcuba,on,and  nutrition.    That  they  breed  in  Spitzbergen,  L  verV 
probable;  but  we  are  assured  that  they  do  so  in  Greenland      Thev 
arrive  there  m  April,  and  make  their  nests  in  the  fissures  of  the  rocks 
on  the  mountains  m  May ;  the  outside  of  their  nest  is  grass,  the  middle 
of  feathers,  and  the  hmng  the  down  of  the  arctic  fox.    They  lay  five 
eggs,  white,  spotted  with  brown:  they  sing  finely  near  their  nest. 

f.v*Jl!!f  h?,^"""'?'.!^'"'"^'*'''/"  ^9  «"  "^'^a^'ional  visitant  in  this  country,  beine  taken 

from  one  genus  to  the  otliox  ^In       ,  •  '/•(  s  m^Jith  that  r.lnn°'V7.P^''^^'' 
which  in  the  increasing  thicknes.  ,;  /.^^df  Th^Ul^  o\vs ^"^1 1^^^^ 

ino  e  typical  spec.es  and  a  near,-  .  ;,,     ach  to  the  thick-biiied  FrivMce  Z  Ms 
section  Alaieda  calandra  aii(  braclnida-tvla  beiono-     It^  ■,ffin\>\,,^,'S^\\'  ■      i 
shown,  by  the  fonn  of  ti,e  feet,  an/prortion'rf^U.e  1  nt   clal^' this  tTi 
n,ca,  ,s  nearKr  sl.a<sht  and  lonoor  than  the  toe,  resembling,  in  every  resDeftX 
of  many  of  the  tn.elarks.    The  habits  and  manners  of  ffie  t^o  Cwn  snecies 
also  bear  a  much  greater  resemblance  to  those  of  the  Larks  than  the  BuntLas 

nerch  '??r''*"H°*^  r'"  ^'''  ^'?""^'  "'^^  "^^  •^""^^'^  »P°n  d,c  ground'  and  nevf  ; 
jierch.  Their  mode  of  progression  is  also  the  same,  being  by  successive  ftens  and 
no  the  hopping  motion  used  by  all  the  true  Embcrila^.  f  poZ  of  fl  rf.l  sCDer"or 
o  that  possessed  by  the  true  ftnntin^s,  is  also  indicated  by  the  gre"  f  ienTh  of 
the  wings  and  form  of  the  ta  1-feat^ers.  In  PkctrophaZs,  thcTrs  and  second 
quills  are  nearly  eqija!  in    enffth,  and  the  longest  in  the  wing    in  EmLrim   on  the 

oTZ7,U^''  rr^r-"'-  'T  "*^  T^'-  «"'^l"ng«r  than  thi'first  The  affinUv  of 
our  genus  to  Emh^nta,  is  shown  m  t\ie  form  of  the  bill,  which,  with  the  eTceotio. 

Unir:.!  Sr;!^'^^" '"'''"'''  °"  '"^  '^'•''  p°--- "-  ^harii^ei^fp:;;;'! 

During  the  springand  breeding  season,  the  plumage  assumes  a  pure  white  on  the 
under  par  s,  and  deep  black  on  all  the  briwn  markings  of  the  uppe      The  femhers 

A'ihi  d":neci'"'''"fi''  ''T?'  n;'"'-^^'?''"'^"^  *'^°P  "ff  «^  'he'^lJnLer  advance/ 
A  thir<l  species  is  figured  m  the  Northern  Zoology,  (Plectrophanes  victa  iw\ 
Only  one  specimen  was  obtained,  associatinff  with  the  I  anl3  KMn.^n^r'  ,u' 
banks  of  the  Saskatchewan     The  descrip'^ioToHhe  b  r'd  Hrsummer  f  i^^.e  is 

w^i  [?on 't'he^iir  '■  7  h"r''  r'^  f ''^'  ^■*''"^'  ''■^'•'^  5  'hree  distincr^p^  of  f ure 
wintc  on  the  sides  o(  the  head,  one  bordering  the  chin,  another  on  the  ear  a  third 

Sown  .'.eXr  V'r  ^""""•' «Pf  "•  'l'«  mildleof  the  nape;  the  neck  above,  wood 
l)rown,  the  dorsal  plumage  and  lowest  rows  of  winff-coverts  blackish  brown -thA 

or"atc?-*]f^:  '""'"^  "f  « -lor  intermediate  be^tween^'oodbrown^ 

*  CRANTZ,i.  77. 

1  Leems'S" "■'"'*'*  ^'^''^''  '^^'  **^KTiN's  Voyage,  73. 


'I^**"^..^ 


214 


SNOW  BUNTING 


uThey  are  caught  b.-  ^^e  boys  in  autujnn  when  tl.^ 

the  shores  in  great  flocks  in  "f^^P'^^.^^^i^  ^  naked  Lapland 

"  In  Europe,  thejr  '"habit  during  BUtnmer^'je         ^^^  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^^^ 

alps,  and  descend  in  "g«^„3  l^Secarfians  call  them  mwarsfogeU 
andfiolds;  on  ^^'^h  acco"nt  the  mieca^^  expressive  ot 

or  bud-weather  birds -the  Upjanders,  "     J  £eenist  remarks,  I 

very  delicate.  „„,„.tripB  within  the  whole  arctic  circle 

..'■rhey  seen,  to  make  *«  "X^t^hey  ovc  "bow  the  more  southern 

!i;£'5,Sron  "o?S,r'oSnef  S;  «er  the  whole  haro.y  , 

Shetland,  and  the  Orkneys     J"      J  immense,  and  they  mingle  so 
abound  with  them,     iheir  "'§"?^  ,     ^  ,^1^,^  ^^ke  great  havock 

closely  together  m  form  "/,^^7^^'  J^^^^^^^^ 
among  them.    They  '^"ive  lean,  soon  l^ecomev^^^^  ^  ^^^  ^^^^^ 

food.    They  either  arrive  in  the  "j^Jf ""J"  ^^   'the  4th  of  August, 
there,  for   I  had  one  f ^ot  for  me  at  n^^^^^^^  «;j^4^^^^  ^^  g^^^ 

?a?r'-.rd;rt;.crpasi;tonT^^^^^^^^^^ 

the  Pentland  Firth-t  snmetimes  seen  in  the  south  of 

sSSSHSa^^'hS^s: 

taken  for  a  **»»! Lark"  ^^^^^^  ^^^g^^s  annually, 

"  Russia  and  Siberia  receive  Y"^"'  "' ,,  r      •       -j-hey  frequent  ttin 

in  amazinir  flocks  overflowing  "\7"«^^^"  ^^V^^^^:  varylere  infinitely 

villages,  and  yield  a  most  ^^^^iXrCekl  d,  aU  even  quite  brown-i 

Jr".''"*"  :lf  to'^tSe' mfl'u  n  e''^f1&^^^       age,  mVe  than  of 
This  socms  to  tie  ine   '"""^  '     ,  ,.  .,  j^  Austria,  they  are 

rZ-  .:^ST^it:£.Z  ."S  th^  'o';ic";;re  .  teat  e,„a,  to  that 
°^t.?ht,"-:ppeari„.i.;.no«h»na^^^^^^^^ 

e„ly  m  "---''Xv  I  ^  ally  ca  /theui  S„o.-  bU  to  dis- 
hy high  wuida.  Th-y  "^.rT^il.hiisli  Snow  Bird  already  described, 
tinsuish  them  from  tho  .inal  ■  Uik  ''"  ™  »"°  ^    ■     „f  leather,  and 

V't  ZtZ  '"S.T,f  ht  'ZSZ£  "ach  I  far  .onth  a.  *e 
depth  ot  snow.  ,  ^ '"*'''"'',     „,u:t„np„  of  their  plumage  is  observed 

^rhrgrlttTtlrtielXoninfer'.'-  'Key  .p^read  over  the 


»  Faun,  (ireeril.  UH. 

t  Bishop  Pot  ock's  Journal,  na. 

I  Bkll's  Trails,  i.  1^. 


f  Finmnrk,  265. 

&  MouTON's  iVori/uHM).  p- -wT. 

II  Kramer,  Atom.  Awir.  ftn. 


fl 


SNOW    nrNTING. 


Gennesee  country,  and  the  interior  of  tho  Diatrict  of  Mai  no,  flvin.r  in 
cose,  compact  bodies,  drivin.f  a;)out  most  in  a  Jii^rh  wind  ;  somotimes 
alighting  near  the  doors,  but  seldom  sitting  long,  beiiifr  a  rovinn-  rest- 
less bird.  In  these  plentiful  regions,  whore  more  valuable  fame  i-. 
abundant,  they  hold  out  no  temptation  to  the  sportsmiin  or  huntvr:  and 
except  the  few  caught  by  boys  in  snares,  no  other  attention  is  paid  lo 
them.  1  hey  are,  however,  universally  considered  as  the  harbino-ers 
of  severe  cold  tveather.  How  far  westward  they  extend  I  am  unabfe  to 
say.  Une  of  the  most  intelligent  and  expert  hunters  who  accompanied 
Captains  Lewis  and  Clark  on  their  expedition  to  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
informs  me  thct  he  has  no  recollection  of  sepin,fr  those  birds  in  any 
part  of  their  tour,  not  even  among  the  bleak  and  Pnowy  mo-inns  f.f  the 
Stony  Mountains  ;  though  the  little  bine  one  was  in  abundance. 

Ihe  Snow  Bunting  derives  a  considerable  part  of  its  food  from  the 
seeds  of  certain  aquatic  plants,  which  may  be  one  reason  for  its  pre- 
terrmg  Jiese  remote  northern  countries,  so  generally  intersected  with 
streams,  ponds,  lakes,  and  shallow  arms  of  the  sea,  that  probably 
abound  with  such  plants.  In  passing  down  the  Seneca  River  towards 
Lake  Ontario,  late  in  the  month  of  October,  I  was  surprised  by  the 
appearance  of  a  large  flock  of  these  birds  feeding  on  the  surface  of 
the  water,  supported  on  the  tops  of  a  growth  of  weeds  that  rose  from 
the  bottom,  growing  so  close  together  tliat  our  boat  could  with  oreat 
difficulty  make  its  way  through  them.  They  were  running  about^with 
great  activity ;  and  those  t  shot  and  examined,  were  filled,  not  only 
with  the  seeds  of  this  plant,  but  with  a  minute  kind  of  shell  fish  that 
adheres  to  the  leaves.  In  tliese  kind  of  aquatic  excursions  they  are 
doubtless  greatly  assisted  by  the  lengtli  of  their  hind  heel  and  claws 
I  also  observed  a  few  on  Table  Rock,  above  the  Falls  of  Niagara 
seemingly  in  search  of  the  same  kind  of  food.  "      ' 

According  to  the  statements  of  those  traders  who  have  resided  near 
Hudson  fl  Bay,  the  Snow  Buntings  are  the  earliest  of  their  mitrratory 
birds,  appeanng  liiere  about  the  11th  of  April,  staying  about  a'^month 
or  hve  weeks,  and  proceeding  farther  north  to  breed.  They  return 
again  in  September,  stay  till  November,  when  the  severe  frosts  drive 
them  southward.* 

The  summer  dress  of  the  Snow  Bunting  is  a  tawny  brown  inter- 
spersed with  white,  covering  the  head,  neck,  and  lower  parts:  the 
back  IS  b  ack,  each  feather  being  skirted  with  brown;  win<rs  and  tail 
also  black,  marked  in  the  following  manner: -The  three  s'econdaries 
next  the  body  are  bordered  witli  bay,  the  next  with  white,  and  all  the 
rest  of  the  secondaries,  as  well  as  their  coverts,  and  shoulder  of  the 
wing,  pure  white ;  the  first  six  primaries  are  black  from  their  coverts 
downwards  to  their  extremities ;  tail,  forked,  the  tnree  exterior  feathers 
on  each  side  white,  marked  on  the  outer  edge  near  the  tip  with  black 
the  rest  nearly  all  black ;  tail-coverts,  reddish  brown,  fading  into  white  \ 
bil ,  pale  brown  ;  legs  and  feet,  black;  hind  claw,  lon<^-,  like  that  of  the 
Jark,  though  more  curved.  In  winter,  they  becom ;  white  on  tlie  head 
nock,  and  whole  under-side,  as  W(  11  as  great  part  cf  the  wings  and 
rump ;  the  back  continues  black,  skirted  with  brown.  Some  are  even 
found  pure  white.  Indeed,  so  much  does  their  plumage  vary  according 
to  age  and  season,  that  no  two  are  found  at  any  tiaie  a  jke. 

*  London  PhUosophical  Transactions,  Ixii.  ^U&, 


¥ 


t''M 


l¥  ■ 


316 


RUSTY  GRAKLE. 


RUSTY    GRAKLE. -GRACULA    FERRUGINEA  -F.o.  98. 


7*     „      <,mnv  D  65  — Scolcphagus  ferruginous,  North. 
Quiscalus  ferrugmcus,  Bomp.   ^^^--P-^i^Q  ^    ^ 

tainty  in  judging,  fF°"^,^,";";.  Ss  '^fnToft^^^^^^^  several  years, 
skins,  of  the  particular  tnbes  ot  ?'™''."Xir  nlumace,  and,  at  different 
are  constantly  varying  in  the  ^°l°f°*^  ^^Jf^'S^cfv  different  appear- 
seasons,  -  ^f-^J/^^^^^^^  the  difference 

Tthi;  respect  between  h'Ule  and  female  of  the  same  species  (as  in 
Set;rw  befl  us)  being  -"-times  ^^y  consulerable  _ 

This  bird  arrives  in  ^'^"n^yl^'^^'^/r^f^BuSnffs,  frequents  corn- 
associates  with  the  Redwings  and  Cow-Pen  Buntmgs^^irq  ^^ 
fields  and  places  where  g>:«^«hoppers  are  plenty ,  but  ina 
that  season,  seems  to  be  ^^J^J^^^^^^^iJj  We  se^  them  occal 
having  only  now  and  Uien  "^  f  f  S^'^  "°*„®'f^,'„  ^^  move  off  to 
sionally  until  about  the  middle  »<  November,  >v^^^^^^ 

the  south.     On  the  12th  ot  January  I  overtook  gr^^^  continued  to  see 

birds  in  the  woods  "X^C' t  fv'ery  fay  as  I  advanced  southerly, 
occasiona    parties  of  then^  almost  every  a  j  ^^^^^^^^^^^  ,vhere 

particularly  m  South  Carolmn.  a'^o miu    mc  r        ,  ^vhevcver 

8,ey  were  numerous,  feeding  ^^out  ^he^ j^^^^^^^^  a  considerable 
Indian  corn  was  to  be  procured  JSch  b^^ron  the  banks  of  tlie 
distance  westward.  ^  ^^  ^he  .Jtti  ot  Marcn.  °^  "  -  ^  River,  in  the 
Ohio,  a  few  miles  below  th«  '^l^  °f  t*'/bSallrhted  near  the 
midst  of  a  heavy  snow  «torm  a  flock  oj  the^e  ^jnl^  ^^r^^,  .^,^  ^  ,,,^,^^ 

door  of  tho  cabin  where  I  hj^^^^^f  ^".^^^^^^  Indian  corn.     Early 

^^^S^'P^  rrgteSvania,  on  their  return  to  the 

'tZ  thraccount.  of  persons  ^vho  h- ^^^t^^^^^^ 

--nsirS  ^r- 9S^  wihs^ - 

SfSbrk^lus-iE'tSeJ^ffin^^ea^  flocks,  and  retire 
■outherly  in  September.* 

•  Arctic  S^otogy,  p.  259. 


PURPLE  GRAKLE. 


217 


The  male  of  this  species,  when  in  perfect  plumage,  is  nine  inches 

hwrt  r*^  ^°"'^"'"  '"  ^^*«"t5  "^t  '^  «™^"  distanc'-e  appear  wholly 
black;  but,  on  a  near  examination,  is  of  a  glossy  dark  green -the 
irides  of  the  eye  are  silvery,  as  in  those  of  thel>urple  GrakfeTthe  S 

Is  i"?:;^^  °^  '^^^r  ^°r,"'^  *^^  °^  ^^^  fast-mentioneLpe 
cies;  the  lower  mandible  a  little  rounded,  with  the  edges  turned 
mward,  and  the  upper  one  furnished  with  a  sharp,  bony  pro!e  s  on  the 
ins  de,  exactly  like  that  of  the  purple  species.  The  tongue  is  slender 
and  acera  ed  at  the  tip ;  legs  and  feet,  black  and  8trong,^tho  hind  Sai' 
llp  Zf  '  I^V^'^  "  'l^^'^y.  '■°""'^«^-     This  is  the  coior  of  ie 

mS  wHh  •  hL  I  ""'k'  ?"*  ?>'■"'  ^""-^^  °^  ^^««  I'i^ds  which  we 
meet  with,  have  the  whole  plumage  of  the  breast,  head,  neck,  and 
back,  tinctured  with  brown,  every  feather  being  skirted  with  ferruol. 
nous;  overthe  eyeisa  light  line  of  pale  brown,  below  ti^S  oTeTf 
black  passing  through  the  eye.  This  brownness  gradually  goes  off 
^wards  spring,  for  almost^all  those  I  shot  in  the  Southern  StltS  were 
Sr^ir^.  l'^  marked  with  ferruginous.  The  female  is  nearly  an  inch 
shorter;  head,  neck,  and  breast,  almost  wholly  brown;  a  fight  line 
over  the  eye ;  lores,  black ;  belly  and  nimp,  ash ;' upper  and  under  S 
coverts,  skirted  with  brown;  wings,  black,  edged  with  rust  color;Su, 
black,  glossed   nth  pen ;  legs,  feet,  and  bill,  as  in  the  male.  ' 

Ihese  birds  might  easily  be  domesticated.  Several  that  I  had 
winged  and  kept  for  some  time,  became,  in  a  few  days,  quite  familiar 
seeming  to  be  very  easily  reconciled  to  confinement  »»mjiiar, 


!      f\ 


PURPLE  GRAKLE. -GRACULA  QUISCALA.-Fio.  99. 
'''?oo  ^i'*''  '£*•  — La  pie  de  la  Jamaique,  5m*.  ii.  il.  —  BufF  iii   m  P)  ^ 
daw,  or  Crow  Blackbird.  Bartram.  p.  289.  —  Peale'p  Museum,  No.  ml 
qvrSCJlLUS  VERSICOLOR Vieillot.* 

Quiscalus  versicolor,  Vieill.  Gall,  des  Ois.ul  108.  -  Bomp.  Synop.  p.  54.  -  Purple 
Grakle,  or  Common  Crow  Blackbird,  Aud.  pi.  7 ;  Om.  Bios  \  d   35       a»U 
calus  versicolor,  Common  Purple  Boat-Tail,  North.  Zool.  ii.  p!  i£.      —  ^ 

This  noted  depredator  is  well  known  to  every  careful  farmer  of  the 
Northern  and  Middle  States.  About  the  2Cth  of  March,  the  Purple 
Grakles  visrt  Pennsylvania  from  the  south,  fly  in  loose  flocks,  frequent 
swamps  and  meadows,  and  follow  in  the  furrows  after  the  plouffli  • 
their  food  at  this  season  consisting  of  worms,  grubs,  and  caterpillars,' 

*  Gracula  will  be  given  exclusively  to  a  form  inhabiting  India,  of  which,  though 
one  spec.es  only  .s  descr.bed,  I  have  every  reason  to  belilve  that  at  least  two  afe 
confounded  under  it  Qutscalu.  has  been,  on  this  account,  taken,  by  Viei  bt  for 
cur  present  bird,  and  some  others  confined  to  America.  There  has  been  cons  [ler' 
able  confusion  among  the  species,  which  has  been  satisfactorily  cleared  up  by 
Bonaparte  and  will  be  seen  m  the  sequel  of  the  work.  The  femafo  is  figured  tlati 
V  of  the  Continuation  by  tne  Prince  of  Musignano.  —  Ed 


218 


PUKPLE   GRAKLE. 


Of  which  they  destroy  Prodigi..—^^^^^^ 

husbandman  beforehand  f%„^J^  'If  °J .ni^j^^  retire  to  tho  near- 

rys  crops  of  Indian  corn     Toward,  cv^^mng        y^.^^^^  elmttering  as 

est  cedars  and  P'"«T?  iwrfthc^c  trees  they  generally  build  their 
t,hey  fly  along.  «"  ^«  \t  belning  or  miWlo  If  April^  sometimes 
nests  in  company,  nbout  the  '«S'"!""S  j.   ^^.^^  ^^sts,  taken 

ten  or  fifteen  nests  bemg  ""f/'^.J"^^^  f ''^ u  measures  full  five  inches 
from  a  high  Pin«:t'-«'-\'^  "'f:,^  S^^  composed  outwardly  of  mud, 
in  diameter  withm,and  four  "^  ''«Py  '  ^^-.^ttv  kind  of  grass,  and  lined 
mixed  with  long  stalks  -nd  roots  of  a  knotty  kindo  g  ^^  ^^^^^  ^^_^^ 
with  fine  bent  and  horse  bar  The  eggs  we  n  ,  ^^.  ^^^^^^  ^^^^ 
5£b;:;:t^s:'::itSr  ;S2r?S;^    They  rarely  produce 

from  the  farm-house,  and  overlook  the  planta^^^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^.^ 

issue,  in  all  directions,  and  ^^'^'' ^,^  J"°„  ^3  as  if  the  whole  w  re 
daily  depredations  among  the  ^^^^^/'^^fXm  on,  however,  is  di- 
intended  for  their  use  alone     Their  chieattnt^    .  ^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^^^ 

rected  to  the  Indian  corn  in  all  ^f  l^rf^'^ppearance  above  ground,   , 
infant  blade  of  tiiis  grain  ^"^^^"^^^^r^^^hlcSs  of  peculiar  sttisfac 
the  Grakles  hail  the  >^?l««"lVJ"f";mri  invitTrn  from  the  proprietor, 

tSe  disasters  are  soon  forgotten,  and  those 

.who  live  to  get  away, 

Return  to  steal,  another  day. 

About  the  be/mnmg  of  August^^^^^^^^^^ 

SXdth4':^.n^?ordtirrdt^^^^        bo^die.    They  descend 
.  Auduboa's  accoum^of  thdr^annc.  of  htalch..^  is  at^^^^^^ 

3  by  Woodpeckers,  and  oJ^r.^cm.sed  >;y     -^'^  ^^^  fe,.  j     weeds  and 

and  examined  a,  ^""•'f;'''""' "  i,'^,f^',' ege  ,  wl>ich  are  from  four  to  s.x  .n  number, 
re,ah.Ts  rollerled,  f^c  fcm'  «  ;'2?^'.  f  f/^^f /-  ^uch  is  the  manner  of  l.uiU  n,g  in 
blotche.l  and  streaked  ^f^^"''^^Xl  tWrnesls  are  differently  eonstmcted,  and 
Luuisiana,  hut,  m  tl'e  ^°;''f"''!'",tu"r  circumstance  thai  a  comparatively  short 
as  mentioned  bv  our  author  .t  '^ J^  "'  R'^'",?!,,  n.c  Northern  Slates,  the.r  nests  are 
distance  should  so  vary  /»  '  J^"  ^^^^  '""^  pi,  e-tree,  whenever  it  occurs  ,n  a  conve- 
ronslructed  n  a  |n°«\P«f  "l^^"'';;-  Therrthe  cirakle  forms  a  nest,  whu-h  from 
nient  place,  is  selected  by  prctercnce.     »"^ri  ^^.      ^^^^  ^^  \^^  i,„iky. 

hcground,  might  easily  be  •^'«;fX''^,,''^  hers  often  to  the  number  of  a  dozen 
IkilTt  is  much  larger,  a>"l 'j*  a'^«°^'f  ^j  if  „•„'  frrn  ing  tier  above  tier,  from  the 
or  more,  on  the  horizontal  branche    of  the  p.nc,t^^^^^  ^,^^  „  . 

lowest  to  the  highest  branches  It  «  ';°'^P°;'^,,„„  ,,^^,  ^Iso  once  or  twice  observeil 
pot-ptt.    The  eggs,  on  the  cuutiaf,,  are  ve 


/■If. 
PURPLE   GRAKl.R.  ^IQ 

.ike  a  blackening,  swtoping  tempest  on  the  corn,  dig  off  the  external 

oovermg  of  twelve  or  fifteen  coats  of  leaves,  as  dexterously  asTdonJ 

by  the  hn,id  of  man,  and,  having  laid  bare  the  ear,  leave  Itt?e  behiSd 

^thc  farmer  but  the  cobs,  and  shrivelled  skins,  that  coSned  thSr 

avorita  fare      [  have  seen  fields  of  corn  of  many  acres,  where  more 

thun  one  half  w^is  thus  ruined.     Indeed  the  farm/rs,  in  the  immeSfp 

vicmity  0    the  Rive™  Delaware  and  Schuylkill,  generally  aZv  one 

HHirth  of  this  crop  to  the  Blackbirds,  among  whom  our  Grak le  Jom^ 

mforfus  lull  shnre.     During  the8e\lepredntionsX  .ur   £  m„r^^ 

groat  havock  among  their  numbers,  which  has  no  other  effect  on   hf 

Hurvivors  than  to  send  then,  to  another  field,  or  to  anotl^r  par  of  the 

sime  fiehl.     This  system  of  plunder  and  retaliation  contiWs  uitH 

November,  when,  towards  the  middle  of  that  month,  they  b?gin  to 

.«heer  off  towards  the  south.     The  lower  parts  of  Vir^nia,  North  and 

South  Carohna,  and  Georgia,  are  the  wintir  residence!  oTthese  flocks 

Here  numerous  bodies,  collecting  together  from  all  quarters  of  tffe 

mtorior  nnd  northern  districts,  and  dark^ening  th.  air  with  the  r  number 

sometime,  form  one  congn;.:at.d  multitude  Sf  many  hundred  thournff 

A  few  mi  es  from  the  bnnks  of  the  Roanok.,  on  th.  20th  of  January' 

I  met  witli  one  of  those  prodigious  armies  of  Grakles.     They  rose 

from  the  surrounding  fields  with  a  noise  like  thunder,  and,  descendTS 

with  k/'"/'^  "f  ''f  ^'^r  '""'  ''''"''^  ''  ^"'^  t''«  fence  coripS 
with  black;  and  wh.n  they  again  rose,  and,  after  a  few  evolutions 
descended  on  the  .kirts  of  the  high-timbered  woods,  at  thartJme 
destitute  of  leaves,  they  produced  a  most  singular  and  striking  effe™ 
the  whole  trees  fbr  a  considerable  extent,  from  the  top  to  the  lowest 
branches,  seemed  as  if  hung  in  mourning;  their  notes '^^nd  crear^iS 
the  mean  while  resemblmgthe  distant  sound  of  a  great  cataract  buUn 
more  musical  cadence,  swelling  and  dying  away  on  the  ear  accorHin^ 
to  the  fluctuation  of  t!,e  breeze'  In  Kentncky,^and  a  1  alongT  mS 
SHsipp.,  from  Its  juncture  with  the  Ohio  to  the  Balize,  I  fonnd  numbera 
ot  these  b.rds  so  that  the  Purple  Grakle  may  be  considered  8^™ 
g^meral  inhabitant  of  the  territory  of  the  United  States  ^ 

Every  industrhius  farmer  complains  of  the  mischief  committed  on 
nis  con,  by  the  Crow  Blackbird,,  as  they  are  usually  calleTt!  ouffh 
wen.  th.  same  moans  used,  as  with  Pigeons,  to  take  them  in  clap  nete' 
multitudes  of  them  might  thus  be  destroyed,  and  the  products  of  them 
in  market,  in  some  m.aHure.  indemnify  him  for  thLir  depredation^ 
But  they  are  most  numerous  and  most  destructive  at  a  time  when  the 
various  harvests  of  the  husbandman  demand  all  his  attention,  and  all 
his  hands,  o  cut,  cure,  and  take  in;  and  so  they  escape  ^W  h  "  few 
sw.eps  made  among  them  by  some  of  the  younger  boys  with  th-  Ju^ 
and  by  the  gunners  from  the  neighboring  towns  ami  villages ;  and  retiS 
from  tiien-  winter  quarters,  sometimes  early  in  March"  to  renew  the 
ike  scenes  over  again.  As  some  consolation,  however  to  the'indus 
nous  cultivator,  I  can  assure  him,  that  were  I  placed  in  his  situ  tion 
I  should  hesitate  whether  to  consider  these  birds  most  s  f^^ie  ds  "; 
enemies,  as  they  are  particularly  destructive  to  almost  all  the  noxious 
worms  grubs  and  caterpillars,  that  infest  his  field.,  which,  were  they 
a  owed  to  multiply  unmolested,  would  soon  consume  nine  tenths  of 

^^t.^H!'^^-,''''\'f}^-^'  ^n?  desolate  the  country  wiS%fe 
misenan  o,  msiiuc :     U  „ot  tnis  anoUier  striking  proof  that  the  Deity 


320 


SWAMP    SPARROW. 


hu  created  nothing  in  vain?  and  that  it  is  the  duty  of  man,  the  lord 
Ke  creation,  to  avail  himnelf  of  their  u«e fulness  and  K^ard  a^nnt 
their  bad  effects  as  securely  as  ponsible,  without  indulging  in  the 
h7rharous  and  even  impious  wish  tor  their  utter  extermination? 

ThrPu^le  Se^s  twelve  inches  long,  and  eighteen  in  extent ; 
on  a  slight  Jiew,  seems  wholly  black,  but  placed  near,  in  a  good  light, 
5^e  whole  head,  neck,  and  br/ast,  appenr  of  a  rich  glossy  steel  blue 
dSk  vio  et,  and  silky  green ;  the  violet  prevails  most  on  the  h.Mid  and 
breosrand  the  green  on  the  hind  part  of  the  neck.    The  back,  rump, 
and  whole  lowef  parts,  the  breast  excepted,  reflect  a  strong  coppery 
doss    wing.covert«,  m  .-ondaries,  and  coverts  of  Uie  tail,  rich  Tight 
Set!  in  wich  the  red  prevails  ;  tlie  rest  of  the  wings,  and  rounJed 
an  are  black,  glossed  with  steel  blue.    All  the  above  colors  are  ex- 
remoly  shining,  varying  as  differently  exposed  to  the  light;  iris  of 
STeye,  sTery ;  bill,  more  than  an  inch  long,  strong,  anS  furnished 
on  Se  inside  of  the  upper  mandible  with  a  sharp  process  like  the 
stump  of  the  broken  blade  of  a  penknife,  intended  tc  assist  the  bini  in 
malTemting  its  food  ;  tongue,  thin,  bifid  at  the  end,  and  lacerated  along  . 

*Thf  female  is  rather  less,  has  the  upper  part  of  the  head,  neck,  and 
the  back,  of  a  dark  sooty  brown;  cHin,  breast,  and  belly,  dull  pale 
brown  hght^st  on  the  former;  wings,  tail,  lower  parts  o  t^e  back 
and  vent,1)lack,  with  a  few  reflections  of  dark  green;  legs,  feet,  bill, 

and  eyes,  as  in  the  male.  ,    .        .  r,  .    rpi,-,. 

The  Purple  Grakle  is  easily  tamed,  and  sings  in  confinement.  They 

have  also,  in  several  instances,  been  taught  to  articulate  some  few 

"°A 'siSrSnlnt  frequently  takes  place  between  this  bird  and 
the  Fish  Hawk.  The  nest  of  this  latter  is  of  very  large  dimensions, 
often  from  three  to  four  feet  in  breadth,  and  from  four  to  five  feet 
high;  composed,  externally,  of  large  sticks,  or  fagots  among  Uie  in- 
teretices  of  which  sometimes  three  or  four  pairs  of  Crow  Blackbirds 
wUl  construct  their  nests,  while  the  Hawk  is  sitting  or  hatching 
above.  Here  each  pursues  the  duties  of  incubation  and  of  rearing 
their  young ;  living  in  the  greatest  harmonv,  and  mutually  watching 
and  protecting  each  other's  property  from  depredators. 


SWAMP  SPARROW. -FRINGILLA   PALUSTRIS.-Fio.  100. 

Passer  paluslris,  Bartram,  p.  291.  -  Pw/e'*  Museum,  No.  6569. 

y.OXUTRICHI.a    PALUSTRIS- J ^^otnK.*  . 

Fringilla  palu.tris,  «m,«p.  Synop   p.  Ill  — The  Swamp  Sparrow,  And.  pi.  64, 
*        '  male;  Orv.  Bwg.  i.  p.  3J1. 

The  history  of  this  obscure  and  humble  species  is  short  and  unin- 
teresting.   Unknown  or  overlooked  by  the  naturalists  of  Europe,  it  is 

.  „.,      r    ,.    -_-:..  (-.jr-.-o,!  .«  No«   100.  mi.  102,  and  103.  will  point  out  the 
form  which  Mr'K'nson  has  designated  as  above.    Of  these,  the  present  and 


1 


PWAMP   SP ARROW. 


221 


nnr'nf  o„^       "*  ^'?'*''  '"^"''"<'«d  to  tho  notice  of  the  world.    It  in 

SuenHn/r""'""  '''.'^"^.'  •^"•'"•"f?  *"  Penm-ylvania  early  in  Apr  f 
|requentinp  ow  prou„,|.s  uad  rivor  c.ursoH ;  roiirinjr  two    und  somo 

wS  ?"?,'„  r"  ^?hr" '  '^"•'  '•«^""""^'  ^"  ^--^  -'he's 

ffr3  flnt^  f  fhf«  i*""  immense  cypress  swamps  and  extensive 
fn!l  tK  K  the  Southern  States,  that  border  their  numerous  rivers 
and  the  rich  nco  plantations,  abounding  witli  their  favorite  seeds  ■?,.  I 
sustenance,  appear  to  be  the  general  winter  resort,  and  Indanri  J 
rendezvous,  ot  this  and  all  the  other  species  of  Sparrow  th"  rr  ma 
wi  h  us  durmg  summer.  From  the  R.'ver  Trent  in  S  Ca  oUna 
h  It  ot  Savannah,  and  still  farther  south,  I  found  thirspedes  venr 
umerous  ;  not  flying  in  flocks,  but  skulking  among  U  e  canes  re3^ 
and  frrass,  see.mng  sTiy  and  timorous,  and  more  attache,!  to  the  watt- 
than  any  other  of  their  tribe.  In  the  month  of  April,  n  mbers  naSi 
through  Pennsylvania  to  the  northward,  which  I  con iecti^^^e  fro JTh« 
circumstance  of  .Inding  them  at  that  season  n  p:  rtTcXrTrtl  of  tt 
woods,  where,  during  tli..  rest  of  the  year,  they  are  nof  1.71,0   eon 

crSkr:nd'rve'r;''"Tht^r"'?;f  "^'^'"P^  "^"'^  '-'Jy  borders  of  o"; 
a  tussock  of  rS  It^  '"  *^''";  f '*  "'  ^«  ^'•°""'''  sometimes  in 
a  lussock  ot  rank  grass,  surrounded  by  water,  and  lav  four  effffs  nC  -. 
dirty  white,  spotted  with  rufous.     So  late  as  tlie  15th   S*  A^t 

Their  nri"  ^^Tr  ^T'""^  '^"^  y"""^'  ^''^^  ^^^e  sircely  ^^10^/ 
Their  principal  food  is  grass  seeds,  wild  oats,  and  insects.   Thev  have 

The  Swamp  Sparrow  is  five  inches  and  a  half  long  and  seven 
inches  and  a  half  in  extent;  tlie  back  of  the  neck  andSt  ii^e  b  ack" 
crown,  bri^V  .ay,  bordered  with  black;  a  spot  of  yXw  sh  whiL' 
between  the  eye  and  nostril;  sides  of  the  icck  and  whole  breast,  dark 

Sl'„n5'"'  ".h''V'  '""f^  ""^^^^'^  proceeds  frou.tJielowTman'i^ 
ble,and  another  from  the  posterior  angle  of  the  eye;  back^k    ■ 

w!£^„ST-  ""f-  •'Y  '  ^''^'''  '^"^^^  '^'^^  black,  SgedSh  bay  • 
wings  and  tail,  pain  brown ;  belly  and  vent,  brownish  whi  e  bm' 
dusky  above,  bluish  below;  eyes,'hazle ;  le^,  brown  ckwss'troni 
and  sharp  for  c  imbing  the  reeds.  The  femS  wante  'the  bTty  on  thf 
crown,  or  has  ,t  lud.stmctly  ;  over  the  eye  is  a  line  of  dull  Se. 

assimilation  with  tho  Hun  i./"  .Wow     a.icl  I?rU^/  '^^'\  ""r  =•  '"'»"- 


'  n 


WHITE-THROATED   SPARROW. 


¥        >  *  ■ 


WHITE-THROATED  SPARROW  -FRINGILLA   ALBICOL 

LIB.  —  Fia.  101. 

*  p.  37a,  rfo.  iJ48.  — /Voie'i  ^/wrnrn,  No.  64«6. 

XOJVOTRICIITA    /'£JVJVSK/<K4A-/CWI.  — SwAiNioH. 

FrinRilla  Pen  ..ylvanica,  Lath.  M  On,  i.  p.  **^- '  ".T^J^^J- J^  1 
The  WhiU--nirouica  Sparr.  w.  Aud.  |.l.  8,  male  and  female}  Om.  Bxof;.  1. 
p.  4'2._  yVoW/i.  Xoo/.  ii.  \i     >>• 

This  is  the  larf^est  as  well  us  ImndaonieBt  of  all  our  Sparrows.  It 
winters  with  the  precediiiL--  species  and  several  others  m  most  ot  the 
states  south  of  New  Ei.^^land.  Fro...  Connecticut  to  Savannah  I 
found  those  hirds  nuineious,  particularly  m  Uie  neighborhood  ot  tue 
Roanoke  River,  and  u.nonfr  the  ri.-o  plmitiitions.  In  sunmier  they  re- 
tire to  the  higher  inland  parts  of  the  country,  and  also  larther  north, 
to  breed  Accord. I'jr  to  Penimut,  tiiey  are  also  found  at  that  season 
in  Newfoundland.  During  thoir  residence  he^e  m  winter,  they  col- 
lect together  in  flocks,  always  preferring  the  borders  of  swampy 
thickets,  creeks,  aud  null-ponds,  skirted  wiUi  alder  bushes  and  long, 
raid;  voedtf,  tlie  see.ls  of  which  for...  their  principal  food,  harly  in 
snriu'N  a  little  bolbre  they  leave  us,  they  have  a  few  remarkably  sweet 
and  clear  notes,  generally  in  the  morning  a  little  after  sunrise.  About 
the  ''0th  of  April  they  disappear,  and  we  sec  no  more  ot  them  till  the 
beirrnning  or  second  week  of  October,  when  they  again  return;  part 
to  pass  the  winter  with  ua,  and  part  on  tlieir  route  farUier  south. 

The  lengtli  of  the  Whito-tiiroated  Sparrow  is  six  inches  and  a  halt, 
breadUi,  nine  inches  ;  the  upper  part  r,f  the  b.ick  and  Uie  lesser  wing- 
coverts  are  beautifully  variegated  w.th  black,  bay,  ash,  and  light 
brown  •  a  stripe  (>f  wliite  passes  from  the  base  of  the  upper  mandiblo 
to  tlie  hind  head  ;  this  is  bordered  on  each  side  with  a  stripe  of  black; 
below  tins  .''uiu  is  another  of  white  passing  over  each  eye,  and  deep- 
ening into  orange  yellow  between  that  and  the  nostril ;  this  is  again 
boidered  by  a  stripe  of  black  proceeding  from  the  hiiid  part  ot 
the  eve;  breast,  ash;  chin,  belly,  and  vent,  white;  tail,  somewhat 
wedc'ed ;  legs,  flesh  colored ;  biU,  a  blui.sh  horn  color ;  eye,  hazel. 
In  tTie  female,  the  white  stripe  on  tlie  crown  is  a  light  drab ;  Uie 
breast  not  so  dark  ;  tiie  chin  less  pure  ;  and  the  line  of  yellow  before 
the  eye  scarcely  half  .is  long  as  in  the  male.  All  tlie  parts  that  are 
white  in  the  male  are  i;  tlie  female  of  a  light  drab  color. 


KWt-COLORED  SPAIU'.OW. 


923 


FOX-COLORED   SPARROW. -FRINGILLA   RUFA.-Fio.  103. 


Runty  Hunting,  Arct.  Zool.  p.   .Kit     \„    '>ii      n,,-,/     ,.-,.,       ^ 
mi  ^••-»'""S'lla  rula,  Bartram,  p.  ^\.-Pe,.U'hi 


Finch 
Muitum,  Sio 


ZOM-OTRlCIfM    MMCA-SWA...ON. 


Fringilla   iliaca,    /Icmap.    Sy»^^,..    1 II- Fnngilla  (zonotriehia)  iliaca,  Ar<,r^^^ 

no2i?abounfo  2"c;Jh''o'?;it'r'''''."""''  'V  Pomusylvar.ia  from  the 
Lsm  ii^rr  n  littl  fl  «f  October;  fre,,uent8  I(.w,  sheltered  thickota ; 
B^anmrt."   ^m^  ten  or  twelve  •,  and  in  almoHt  coi.tinuali; 

fhfT  ?  ffround,an(l  rustlittir  ainonff  the  fallen  leaves     I  f,„,nfl 

thi8  bird  nu,  .;ronH  ,n  November,  atnon^r  tf.e  rich,  cultiv  t  -d  fl  ts  Zt 
border  the  R.ver  Connecticnt;  and  waUt.fornu.l  thu  t  je^^^^^^^^^^^ 
peaces  in  .spri-t-.  1  also  found  it  in  the  nortliern  parts  of  hntate  of 
Vennont  Alonjr  the  bordern  of  the  frroat  reed  ind  cyLL  bw  .>n^ 
of  Virffinta  and  North  and  Sotitli  Carolina,  as  well  as  arour  '  I  T 
plantationu,  I  observed  this  bird  very  frenicutlv  ThoJ  »'.  i  '  " 
Lwfoundland.*  Thc^  are  rather'Jif  a  ^oltul^-nl^s  o.  IS 
mg  in  the  open  fields,  b„t  ironerally  nnder  thickets,  or  a.noi  rr  ,  '  nu  - 
weeds  on  the  edcjen  of  fieldn.  They  sometimes  associotix^iH.; 
Snow  Bird,  but  ...ore  Generally  keep  by  themselves.  The  -  /'"  j^ 
very  much  resemble  those  of  the  Ked-eyod  Bunting  ;  thev  are  .i lent 
tome  and  unsuspicious.  They  have  genorally  no  other"  note  wh.Io 
here  than  a  .Ae;,,  ,Je;, ;  yet  I  suspect^hey  iLe  so,  e  sorbin  the 
places  where  hey  breed  ;  for  I  once  heard  a  sinplo  one,  a  lit  Te  before 
the^^me  they  leave  us,  warble  out  a  few  very  sw^eet,  lo^'v  notes! 
bZ5  Fo^-^'ored  Span;ow  ,s  six  inches  lonjr,  and  nine  nnd'a  q.mrter 
broad  ;  the  tapper  part  oi  the  head  and  neck  fs  cinereous,  edped  wiUi 

ereoua;  wmgs  and  tail,  bright  ferrufrinous ;  the  primaries  uskv 
withm  and  .it  the  tips,  the  first  and  second  row  of  coveS'  m>ed 
wiUi  white ;  breast  and  belly,  white;  the  fornier,  as  wX^'uicTa' 
feathers,  marked  with  large  blotches  of  bright  bay,  or  reddish  brown 
Swk  iho^-r^^J'^'^f  ^.fy^'^^^^  little  arr^-shaM  spoteof' 
W  'ii^K^"'"''-^!:^^"'^^''"'"'^  "■  ''"f?''t  fox-color;  he  leVand 
teet,  a  dirty  brownish  white,  or  clay  color,  and  very  strong ;  the  biH  is 
'l^'J.^vi'^'^'^y  '^^"V«  •^"'1  y«llo^v  below  ;  iris  of  the  ev."  hazel  The 
chiet  difference  in  the  fen^ale  is,  .Jia.  th^  wings  are  not  of  so tiJt  a 
bay,  inclining  more  to  a  drab  ;  yet  this  is  scarcely  observable  unless 
by  a  comparison  of  tlie  two  together.  They  are  genert  lly  ve^  fat 
live  on  grass  seeds,  eggs  of  insects,  and  gravel.  ^       ^    ^ 

*  Pennant. 


I       ^l'' 


234 


SAVAl-NAH    SPARROW. 


Fio.  102.-- 


SAVANNAH  SPARROW. -FRIN  GILL  A  SAVANNA.- 

Female.* 

Pealt^s  Museum,  No.  6684.. 
■/.ON-OTRICHIJi    SAVAKJf^.  - Jardinb. 
Fringilla  Savanna,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  108. 

figure  of  which  ^»"  ^'^K^eSe'' '''"'•  With  a  representation  of 
?rSi;  wr'so'be  i"  ^aSlarsoVtheir  nest  ejg;, -d  man- 
Uie  male  will  also  DC  «>^e      '  Enncimens  1  had  the  oppor- 

ners,  which,  Iroin  tho_  soahon,  a  u  J  «;  '*^       ',  jj    ^^    j  have  since 

SfuSnSo" "L'^JSll.frvhoBC  „0M,    ^nection  U,e,  now 

inside  of  the  shoulders,  and  Iming  «»  t^iy^   P,,itish;  secondaries 
hind  claw,  pretty  long.  „hirh  Nature  has  drawn 

lar  species  may  be  precisely  discriminated. 

•  The  Male  is  figured,  No.  1S3. 


LOGGERHEAD  SHRIKE. 


225 


LOGGERHEAD  SHRIKE.-LANIUS  CAROL1NENSIS._F,g.104. 

Peale's  Museum,  No.  5j7. 

/vJJV/f/S    LUDOnCM.VUS.  -  l!,)r»APAHT£. 

J-anii.s  Lmlovicianus,  Bmap.  S„„op  p.  72.  -  The  Loggerhead  Shrike,  A,td.  pi.  ff7 
male  and  female  ;  Orn.  liioff.  j,  p.  300.  ^       ' 

m,ST#'P?f 'r^^"^  u  *=°"«i^«™ble  resemblance  to  the  Great  AmtHcan 
Shrike.'*  It  differs,  however,  from  tliat  bird  in  size,  bein?  a  full  inch 
shorter;  and  in  color  bemg  much  darker  on  the  upper  ptrts  ;  and  in 

I  r^  o1  4t'  /'•«"tl?.,'^ltf  •  n^'  ^^T  '"'•'^^'i^  t***^  warmer  parte  of  tl  e 
Untod  btates;  while  the  Groat  American  Slirike  is  cliiofly  confined 
to  the  northern  regions,  and  seldom  extends  to  the  soutii  of  Virginia 

1  his  species  inhabits  the  rice  plantations  of  Carolina  and  Gcoraia, 
wliore  It  is  protected  for  its  usefulness  in  dpstroyinjr  ,r,ice.  It  sits  "far 
hours  together,  on  the  fence,  beside  the  stacks  of  rice,  watching  like°[ 
cat ;  and  as  soon  as  it  perceives  a  mouse,  darts  on  it  like  a  Hawk  It 
also  feeds  on  crickets  and  grasshoppers.  Its  note,  in  March,  resiMnbled 
the  clear  creaking  ot  a  sign-board  in  windy  weather.  It  builds  its 
nest,  !is  I  wa5  informed,  generally  in  a  detached  bush,  much  like  that 
ot  tlie  Mocking  Bird;  but,  as  the  spring  was  not  then  sufficienUv 
advanced,  I  had  no  opportunity  of  seeing  its  eggs.  It  is  generally 
known  by  the  name  of  the  Loggerhead,  f  {,«»«rai]y 

*  See  FiR.  15. 

t  In  the  remarks  on  the  Tyramiimr,  I  observed  thai  only  two  of  the  sub-fam- 
lies  ot  he  grea  er  division  Lmiadce  existed  in  North  America, -that  now  Eluded 
to  and  thelam<.«.r,  of  which  our  present  species,  with  the  l/.  horeali  {l/orZ, 
plate,  and  that  ol  Kurope,  will  form  typical  examples.     Ornithologists  have  Xavs 

te  'tTT'^  """'•  '■'''^''V^'"  ""^  P"?'''?"'  "'■  "''-^^'  •'■'^'l'^'  »•'«'  '"'"'«  placed  them 
alike  with    he   rapacious  Falcons  and  timid  Tlirnshcs.      Thev  arc,  hmvever    th^ 

of  tha°gro°lp  ""'''  ""''  '  "'"'  "'"°"^  ""•  '"■"•"'"•''*  ^^■'"  ^'  "'«  re,\rISatives 
Ainerica  was  seen  to  be  the  .rrcat  country  of  the  T„ranninm ;  in  like  manner 
may  the  Shrikes  claim  Africa  for  their  grout  birth-place.  Tlu-v  there  wage  in" es  "n 
war  on  the  numerous  insect  hosts,  the  larger  pecies  occasmn.lly  cxe^cisin- their 
greater  strength  on  soine  ol  the  weaker  iixlividn.is  of  llu-  fealhere.l  race :  and  I  v  some 
gamekeepers,  that  of  this  country  is  killed  as  a  bir.l  of  p,ev.  being  fonid  to  ,ks"ov 
voui.g  birds,  an.l  even  to  , Irag  tlie  weak  young  pheasants  throngli  the  bars  of  thi 
l.ree<ling  coops.  Small  animals  and  rcptifes  also  form  a  part  of  ti.eir  „rcv  Thev 
decrease  m  nunribers  as  the  col.ler  and  more  temneraf  countries  are  approached ; 
am  the  vast  extent  ol  North  America  appears  only  to  contain  five  species.  New 
Iloilaia  alone  is  without  any  true  Lam,us,  but  is  supplied  by  another  genus,  Fa/am. 
c«V,«  a  hcd  m  form,  an<l  now  containing  two  species,  whicfi  also  unite  somewhat  of 
their  habits,  and  feed  on  insects,  though  the  mode  of  taking  their  prey  shows  some- 
thing  scansorial.  '    •' 

Among  the  Tyrants,  the  powers  of  flight  are  developed  to  a  great  extent  as 
suitable  to  the  capture  of  the  particular  prey  upon  which  they  feed  In  the  Shrij^es 
the  form  is  consi. lerahly  mUfied  ;  the  wings  become  more  rounded,  and  the  tail 
pradiiated  ;  and  the  general  prey  is  the  larger  insects  of  the  orders  Coleoptera  and 
Hemptora,  to  capture  which  does  not  require  so  great  an  exercise  of  very  quick  or 
active  pcjwers,  and  which  are  often  patiently  watched  for  and  pounced  i.pon  bv 
lurpnse,  m  a  similnr  manner  to  that  described  of  the  North  American  Loggerhead. 

They  have  all  the  character  of  being  cruel  and  tyrannous,  arising  from  .he  pecu- 


'"MJi 


I'iS?, 


226  LOGGERHEAD  SHRIKE. 

This  species  is  nine  inches  long,  and  thirteen  in  extent ;  the  color 
above  is  cinereous,  or  dark  ash;  scapulars  and  Ime  over  the  eye, 

liar  .T,an«er  of  impalin,  tl.cir  prey  "H^'l'r'salVrm^fe^WI'thuilxiS 
branches,  often  in  a  -anion  mm.nc.a^  .1  for  the  sake  o^^  y,  ^^^^  „ 

up  al    .1  can  so.ze  upon. .,  ^ne  spccits  '^^arn  ^  .^^  cruelty, -/.cm«.. 

exhib,..on  ?'^  -,  P-P-  ',>,'  "'t  habitsTre  '^ihus  described  by  Le  Vaillnni  •.  - 
colans  ot   Southern  Airica.      ii.->     »  cnriiifrs  uDon  it,  and  imniedi- 

«  When  it  sees  a  locust,  a  '»-».''^' "^-.^'^f  ,^  £'^  X  f  it  Soes  .iith  great  dcx- 
ately  carries  il  ofl,  n.  ordcrto  '•"P^'^  '\°'\%Tjf"  J"  ctini^  Every  animal  which 
terity,  always  passing  the  thorn  ih  ough  thehe=.^ ''  '.'^Jj  ^.u™" ^i,  d„^^  long  its  nmr- 
il  seVzes  is  subjected  to  the  sar^ejatean^^^^ 

(lerous  career,  apparenllj  insligaiea  rainer  "y  ""^  ,  .  j  branch  of  a  tree,  from 
„,  food.  Its  dirone  of  lyrannv  .s  "f'^^l'y ''J^y.  ^"J.^^and  ^^^^  troublesome, 
which  it  pounces  on  all  mlrucTers,  driving  "«j'^^„^'J°"^f/^"ft,™nhambles,  and 
and  impiling   the  i»expc-nei.ced   a^ive^  wto  hung  y,^ U  ^  y\,,,iUoes 

helps  itself  to  a  savory  meal.  1  T."  ' ;!"  nrtv  on  the  eibbet  till  it  becomes 
not'^love  fresh  food,  atul  therefore  'eaves  its  prey  "^'"^"f'^^^^-^f  decomposition 
putrescent;  but  >-'-J' '  ^ -"'j^i:':^,;,!''  ^/ufS^^^^^  animal  flu'^ds  in  a 

.sometimes  does  not  taKc  pl.n  t .  irom  '"^  3'"^,  .  gpipv  ^htah  may  have  been 
warm  and  arid  atmosphere  and  consequcidywhatever^^  y    ^^^ 

chosen  by  the  Butcher  Mud  as  the  place  o  ^^^^^^I'l^J'^^^i^l^  carcasses' 
not  with  swect-smelln.ir  ai.d  ;•''">' V^'f^'^^^^  of  the  larger  size. 

tieman  mentio,^  T'^    "'' "f  '\^JT-^^^^^^^^  this'histance,  after 

Shrike  upon  a  Hedge  '^'\'»^''l'7v"'''*''/'f'',;u'Vo"a  short  time  over  the  hedge, 

notes,  as  might  be  expected,  are  hoarse  7"X"/'"|' ^"L  "^  are  very  attentive 
bation  become  verv  garrulous  l-nr.;;-;'  ar  v  ^^^.^^  .Hhem  affer  ihev  are  able  to 
to  their  voung,  and  conluu..-  I..iif;  to  '«"'  »''''  rTj  the  Falcomdm,  which  our 
shift  for  themselves.  t  .nav  be  here  remarked  ^f^^l^\]'  ,,,k,.  ,l,cir 
present  knowledge  leads  us  u,  Hunk  .s  r<"Pf«cited  .  ^^^^'^^  ^'.^  >^  ^^  ^^^,,  ■„, 
,rev  to  some  eminence  belon.  '■o'"n'7<;2,  '  ' ,?    ike  ;;  if  ii    a  w„od.  some  .le- 

^;:.:>r s,r;'^v JV'ii:;:^  ^r:!::.e':;rf  45-:^  '—.0  by  the  s^ne 
'•''Ktn:;^::rs:r^:';'rr';^^ios':^::c;rt;  know„to  belong  to  North 

^Tt' W„fe.  Viell!.-/..  rrcMtor.  Wils.  Vol.  i.  p.  74.  L.  bor.alis,  Honap. 
"^T'l    tHuin,,.,..  ['cap.  -  /,.  r.roliur„sis^  Wils.  ^^Jl.  i.i..p.  ^7  i  <V,un<l  only  in 

Vol.  ii.  11.  II.')-  ,  ,.  .      I  ..  ,!,„  1t,;i  nvpr-land  arctic  expedilinn. 

Specimens  were  brought  to  this  country  »^\;''^  ','^,';',";ri,,7;'C,,,/;,,.  ,  ud  does 

Acc'ordMig  to  Dr.  Richardson.  ,t  ,s  '^ ;""^^^\£^;-Z^',  ,n^^u.   that 

„ot  advance  farther  north  u.  summer  '>''^''       \^;,,"'  ^    "'.^  the  Saskatchewan. 

of  ,|„-    mivtiikc  mcntionn.l  thcrv  m   his  Appcnrtix  to    mo  .ym-is. 
BIrl"  —V-D. 


liELTLD  KINGSFlyilEIl 


227 


whitish;  winffs  black,  with  a  small  spot  of  white  at  tlio  bnsp  nf  tK 
primaries,  and  tipped  with  white  •  a  sfrinp  nf  hi.,  i  ?  "*  "*® 


BELTED  KINGSFISHER.-ALCEDO  ALCYON. 

Fkmale. 


■  Fig.  105.  — 


Bartram,  p.  289.  -  Tnrton,  p.  278.  _  P.a/e'.  Museum,  No.  2145. 

Alcedo  alcyon,  5onap.  S;,;^.  P- ^- -  The  Bdted  Kingsfi^er,  ^W.  pi.  77;  Om. 

This  is  a  general  inJiabitant  of  the  banks  and  shores  of  all  r..,r 
fresh  water  rivers,  from  Hudson's  Bay  to  Mexico     and  iffl,..^? 
species  of  its  tribe  found  within  the  United  sTates     This  list  circuS 

The  merit  of  unravelling  this  species  from  several  verv  closelv  -illir,!  tn  i.  ;..    . 

upper  margiu  of  the'  eyelid  lateral  scalefot-  the  tarsus  tit  Jfvilrr;,'''"'^  "'1 
pieces,  the  shorter  length  of  the  wing  when  closed  and  ii^^.iri^nK  '"''"''' 
graduated;  the  totallength  is  nine  inches,  six  lines     '  '  ''"'  ^"'"8^  "^"'•-' 

4,  Lamns  elegam,  Sw.  —  White-crowned  Shrike. 

Ucscribed  by  Mr.  Swainson,  from  a  specimen  in  the  British  M,wo„m   .       w  i. 


>  _,  .... ..,..  ^.,...,, ,  ,„„  ,,  „gi,i  IS  iiDoui  nine  inciie 

3    Lamus  (/)  ?Mtka,  Peiui.  — Nalka  Shrike. 
Ihis  species,  the   Nootka  Shrike   of  Dr.  I,ai 


228 


BELTED  KINGSFISI.EK. 


Stance,  and  its  characteristic  appearance,  make  it  ns  umversally  known 
here  a^  its  elegant  little  brother,  tlie  Coininon  Kingsfisher  o  i^urope,  is 
in  Britain.    Like  the  lovelorn   swains,  of  whom  poets  tell  us,  he 


delights 


n  murmuring 


streams  and  falling  waters;    not,  however. 


,•  .1        •.     ..,■•;,.  IB  irmuDs  bv  almost  all  orailhologists;  llmllo  which  our 

present  species  uuuiiri  ,  a„sular  aiid  leiielhened  bills;  they  leed  entirely  on 

s,zc  w.  h  '»"  ,  °«?  ^"?.;''^,^  ^;f  „;  ihc  banfs  of  rivers,  lakes,  and  creeks,  and 

hsh  and  aquai.c  "'^^-'^^^'XJ      They  are  distributed  oier  the  world,  but  the 
occaMonally  on  the    ea-^o  e       ^ney  ^^^^^^  ^^^    ^^^^^^^^ 

S  Au':cla  m>d"lt'opo  po^^^^^  only  one  each,    i'he  colors  o,  the  plun.a.e, 

w  t    a  It  V  excep  io,.s,  particularly  the  upper  parts,  are  very  bright  and  slnn.njj,  il.e 
webs  oImL  foXers  unconnected  and  loose  ;  the  under  parts  generally  wh.te   w„h 
shades  oredS  brown  and  orange  ;  the  division  nearest  to  tins,  coniannng  but  a 
£  s.cc  es  of   ery  small  size,  but  similar  in  form  and  coloring  has  been  senara  ed 
SraTouU  of  having  three  toes,  and.  1  believe,  is  exclus.vely  Indian      Another 
andt  well  marked  group  is  the  Halcyon  of  Mr.  Swainson  ;  it  dillers  materially  in 
d"e  formal"  manners  o    living,  and  ranges  every  where,  except  >n  North  America 
a„d?™ope     The  birds  are  "all  above  the  miJdle  size    with  a  stouter  and  more 
?"bus    form  ;   the  colors  sometimes  very  gaudy.  ...  others  ol  rich  a..d  pleas...g 
shades    fb  own.     The  bill,  a  chief  organ  of  d.st.nction,  .s  large    much  d.lated  at 
lebasc    am      n  one  or  two  instances,  very  strong.    They  n.hab.t  moist  woods 
ml  riclv  'reams  or  creeks,  where  they  watch  on  a  mot.o.iless  nercli  (or  the  larger 
;  it  as    lu  rnimon  European  species  does  for  fish,  and  tf.ey  dart  upon  them 
when  .;assin'  or  when  seen  ol.  the  grou..d,  a..d  retur..  aga...  to  the  same  bra..ch  or 
Tock    'tC  as    chase  their  pre  v  in  the  ma....er  of  the  Flycatchers      Notwi.l.stand- 
.°rthes^;reth^-irco.nn.<...tood,  f.sh,  water  insects,  ,n  a  lew  ...stances  crabs,  are 
r^or  ed  to  m.    i.i  all  cases  the  vici.iity  of  water  seems  requ.s.le  lor  he.   healthy 
sunCr     T  ere  is  a.,  individual  (AlceJo  dea)  wh.ch  has  been  separated  trom  his 
Zle    the  .an  -of  Tamisipt.ra  :   the  only  distinction,  now,    lor  it  l.as  four  toes,    is 
Z  e  <  nca  i^of  two  lail-fc.ather, ,  which  exceed  the  le..gth  of  the  body  consider- 
ablv    Tt  w  s  orHnallv  discovered  in  the  Isleof  Ternate,a..d,  according  to  Lesso.j^ 

ho  e  CO. ....'•  o  this  cou..trv,  bei.ig  impaled  on  reeds,  are  co.iseque.jtly  much  .nut,- 
med      A.  oa.er  divisio..  will  comprise'  the  very  large  New  Holland  species,  uud.r 
thelldeof  D.c./<.;*  this  co.itains  yet  o>.ly  two  species,  commonly  k..own  by  the 
name  of  ■'  U  glink  Ja-^kasses  ; "  by  the  ..atives  they  are  called  Cuck  ..iida  ;  they 
ar.ma  ly  as  Se  as  a  Comnu...  Pigeon.  a..d  have  all  the  members  very  powerful ; 
^h^X    .    .chlilated.a..dbe.Uat''tl.clip;  according  to  Lesson,  ihe.r  ch.e   fond 
,hi  <^e  iiiscc  t,  which  Ihev   seize  on  the  ground;   iKat  orn.tl.olog.st  extonds  the 
^e  us  to  several  of  the   arger-billcd  small  soccies  ;    we  would  now  restrict  .t  as 
Be"ri.'bc»er  marks  ..,  ilmsc  of  New  Holland  only,  D.  pganl.a  a..<    Leaclm. 
WlerdUis.,."hasbee.,l<.r.ne.l  among  these  curious  b.rds    also  by  M   Lessoij, 
of  tl^^4/c/o  •«»..»  of  Cuvier.  under  the  ..a.ne  of  .S>w,  and,  as  a  sprchc  appcl- 
Tat  on  Vl  a  of  7v'•o^,ra,  bv  ^^hich  it  is  known  to  the  fapous,  in  ,1s  ..ative  coun  ry, 
New  U  i nea.     It  freouenls  rivers  and  the  sea-shores,  and  fee.ls  on  hsh  ;   the  prii- 
"^1  ,Hs     c  on  for  which  it  has  been  separated  is  a  serrature  of  the  ma,.d,blcs  of 
d.rbil       MI  esse..,  however,  (li<l  not  perceive  a.o^  th.ng  d.fferent  fro.u  its  ccn- 
t^,e     to  wl  ic li   his  str..clure   coul.i  be  applied.     I^rom  the  above  remarks  it  w,  1 
Ees"en    1^      le.ild  genus  Ak.do  has  been  separated  ...to  no  less  tha..   lu  e  di- 
visio,        I'-o.  r  of  ll.e'se  will,  perhaps,  only  be  ..ecessary,  and   are  a?  /"l^s:- 
\    Akedo-  having  the  form  of  .i/rcJo  ispida:  feeding  ?"''<■•?«'>'."''  fi^'' ;>"-'P^"- 
grap  ical  distribution,  .he  k.iown  world,  except  very  northern  '^t-tudes  ;     he  „„m- 
Bcr  of  species  an.l  indivUU.als  h.creasmff  from  the  exlrenries.     2    IMnjon .    the 
forr.  ofTCcL,  cimmomn,..  omnicolor.  Ic. ;    co,.ta.n...g  Lesson's  TWyrflmpu. 
aUo,  Jertiaps,  hi«  Svma,mn\  the  Tnnysiptera  of  Vigors  ;  the  two  latter  groups,  as 

♦  M  1  P„on  nronofie*  a  BcnuH  ( 7V,rfvram™./.v)  f-r  all  ll.c  mnnllcr  Now  Ilollaml  Bpecies. 
,»kin^J  .Tm  as  I  e  typ..,  on  ..Vcunt.  priruipully,  of  the  .More  ,lil„.c.l  l.ill.  '1  ho  «an,e 
^fntlLan  ,™/e,  ll,c'?it'lc«  ^^elidora  Ld  CAoucafcjon,  to  designate  forn,.  among  th. 
Kine»fiihor«  which  I  have  not  lucortaino  . 


i  1 


BELTED  KINGSFISHER.  229 

merely  that  they  may  soothe  his  ear,  but  for  a  gratification  somewhat 

a"  W  he"  j;  ;  nti'l  ^^  ""  of  the  cataraft,  or  overTeTam  o/ 
a  torrent,  he  sits  perched  upon  an  overhanging  bough,  glancing  his 
piercing  eye  m  every  direction  below  for  his%cdy  prey,  wWcKh 
a  sudden,  circular  plunge,  ho  sweeps  from  their  native'element,  and 
swallows  in  an  mstant    His  voice  which  is  not  unlike  tlie  twirW 
if^,rrh""r''^"^l''r/^*"'^"y  ^«"d,  harsh,  and  sudden ;    but   ! 
vlnch  he  generally  rambles.    He  courses  along  the  windings  of  th« 
rdin^'hiSf?  ^,«'"'^»  height  above  the  surface,  someimelut 
wl/ro,^!      ^  *^^  "'P'''  1"^'°^' °^'  '"^  '"'^Ss,  like  certain  species  of 
nodCLpT^^^^  T  ?'  fry  below:  now  and  then  settling  on 
"iv  iislted'bv  tb^fff  H^  ^"? ^o  raconnoitre.*    Mill-dams  are  particu- 
iry  visited  by  this  feathered  fisher ;   and  the  sound  of  his  nije  is  as 
^  ell  known  to  the  miller  as  the  rattling  of  his  ow^  hopper!  ^  Rapid 
trc^1ms,  with  high  perpendicular  banksf  particularl ,  if  they  bf  of  a 
hard  clayey  or  sandy  nature,  are  also  favorite  places'of  resort  for  this 
bird  ;  not  only  because  in  such  places  the  small  fish  are  iilre  exposed 
0  view,  but  because  those  steep  and  dry  banks  are  the  chosen  shua- 
uons  for  his  nest.    Into  these  he  digs  wi4  bill  and  clavJs  horTzontanv 
ornetimes  to  the  extent  of  four  or  five  feet,  at  the  distance  of  a  foot  „; 

,Zn?V)l  '"'^f  ^-  •  ^H  ^^''  "i^terials  he  takes  in  are  no? always 
placed  at  the  extremity  of  the  hole,  that  he  and  his  mate  may  have 
rooin  Lo  turn  with  convenience.  The  eggs  are  five,  pure  white  S 
the  first  brood  usually  comes  out  about  Ihe  begbn  n^g  of  June'  an 
Honictimes  sooner,  according  to  the  part  of  the  countfy  where  thev 
reside.     On  the  shores  of  Kentucky  River,  near  tlie  town^of  Frankfort 

lound  the  female  sitting  early  in  April.  They  are  verv  tenacfous  of 
their  haunts,  breeding  for  several  successive  years  in  the  same  ho^e 
and  do  not  readny  forsake  it,  even  though  it  be  visited.  An  melligent 
young  gentleman  informed  me,  that  having  found  where  a  WsSeJ 
niilt,  he  took  away  its  eggs  from  time  to  time,  leavin^alwavs  one 
behmd,  until  he  had  taken  no  less  than  eighteen  from  the  same  nest 
At  some  of  these  visits,  the  fomale,  being  within  retired  to  fLpv 
tremity  of  the  hole,  while  he  withdrew  thf  ej^lrannexUay^^^^^^^^^ 
lie  returned,  he  found  she  had  laid  again  as  usual.  ^' 

The  fabulous  stories  related  by  the  ancients  of  the  nest,  manner  of 


h 


m 


1!^ 


M  I 


030  BELTED  KINGSFISHER 

J   f„u;«n.  Xjr>    r^f  thp  Kinpsfip'ia.  are  too  trifling  to  b^  repeated  here. 

least,  the  species  now  before  us  —  1  ave  no  control.  Its  nest  is  ncitner 
SSructed  of  slue  nor  fish-bones,  3ut  of  loose  grass  and  a  few  feath- 
r:1;tlt  uLwnon  the  sur^ 

^Z^ll.  r^StTe^ofthrefl  Neither  is  its  uead  or  its  foath- 
rsbelicvereven  by  the  most  illiterate  of  our  clown,  or  seamen  to 
boac  arm  for  lovefa  protection  against  witchcraft,  or  a  security  for 
fair  weXr  It  is  neither  venerated,  like  tiiose  ot  tlio  Society  sles 
nor  dreaded,  like  those  of  some  other  countries;  but  is  coasid^rod 
nJro  ™  bird  that  feeds  on  fish  ;  is  generally  fat ;  relished  hy  soma 
as  good  eating;  and  is  now  and  then  seen  exposed  .or  sale  m  our 

'"ThcS'h  the  Kii:=,sfiHher  generally  remains  wiUi  us  in  i^ennsylvu 
nia,  un  il  the  commencement  of  cold  weather  it  is  .eldon.  seen  here 
in  winter;  but  rtnirns  to  us  early  in  April.  In  North  and  South 
CaroWI  observe,]  numbers  of  these  birds  ,»  the  montlis  of  Feb- 
niarv  and  March.  )  ..Iso  frequc.tlr  noticed  them  on  the  shores  of 
roil^n  February,  as  high  u.  ■■    ^.e  mouth  of  the  Muskingum. 

I  suspect  this  bird  to  be  a  native  oi" ,  h-  Baharn.  Islands  as  ^^  ell  as  of 
our  contfnent    In  passing  between  ih.  ne  ilc.  and  th.  Florida  shore,' 
in  the  monul  of  .Tuly,  -  TGngsfish.r  flew  .e,   r.l  times  round  our  ship, 
and  afterwards  shot  olV  to  the  south,.  „^  „  i,.,if.  pytpnt 

The  length  of  this  species  v.--  t^N^lv--  inches  and  a  hajf,  exten^ 
twenty    back  and  wliole  ui-ocr  ,>".vts.,  a  light  blui.li  slate  color;  round 
1  nJck  is  a  collar  of  puri 'white,  which  reaches  before  to  the  chm; 
head,  large,  crested;  the  feathers,  long  and  narrow,  black  m  the  cen- 
tre ."d  lei^rally  erect ;  the  shafts  of  all  the  feathers,  excep  the  wlnte 
pluma'efaTe  black;  b'elly  and  vent,  v.hite  ;  sides  under,  the  wings 
vSo-St  d  with  blue;  round  the  upper  partofthebreast  passes  a  band 
of  blue   ai.erspersed  with  son  0  light  brown  feathers ;  bc-fore  the  eye 
S  a  sm;il  ..ot  of  white,  and  another  immediately  below  it;  Uie  bill  is 
hreeTnche .  long  fro.n  the  point  to  the  slit  of  Uie  month,  strong,  sharp- 
Sed,  and  block,  except  Aear  the  ba^e  cf  the  lower  mandible,  and  at 
rip,  where  il  .-:  of  a  horn  color;  primaries  and  interior  webs  of  the 
secondaries,  black,  spotted  with  white;  the  interior  vanes  of  the  tail- 
feathers,  elegantly  s  lotted  with  white  ou  a  jet-black  ground ;  lower 
side,  light  cSlored;  exterior  vanes,  blue;  wmg-covcrts  and  seconda- 
ries marked  with  small  specks  of  white  ;  leg.,  cxtreincly  short ;  v,  aeu 
he  bnd  perches,  it  generally  rests  on  the  lower  side  of  the  second 
icint  ^  inch  is  thrre1,v  thick  and  cnllo... ;  claws,  stout  and  black : 
i  lio  e  leg,  of  a  dirty  ydlowish  color ;  above  the  knee,  bare  of  feathers 
for  half  an  inch  ;  the  two  exterior  toes  united  together  for  nearly  then 

"^  The'fSle  is  sprinkled  all  over  with  specks  of  white ;  the  band  of 
blue  around  the  upper  part  of  the  breast  is  nearly  half  reddish  bro^vn; 
and  a  Uttle  below  this  pass.s  a  band  of  bright  reddish  bay  spreading 
on  each  side  nndor  the  wings.  The  blue  and  rufous  leathers  on  the 
breast  are  strong,  like  scales.  The  head  is  also  of  a  much  darker  blue 
than  the  back,  and  the  white  feathers  on  the  cliin  and  tiiroat  ot  an  ex- 
quisite  fine,  glossy  texture,  like  the  most  beautiful  satUL 


W^- 


BLACK  AND  YELLOW  WARtLER. 


231 


BLACK   AND  YELLOW  WARBLER. 

Fio.  106. 


-SYLVIA  MAGNOLIA.— 


Peak's  Museum,  No.  7783. 
SYLVICOLA  M^CULOSJl.  —  SwAiKson. 


SyMa  mfciilosfi ,    '\alh.  Ind.  Om.  ii.  p.53C.  —  Bonap.  Synop.  p. 
•.lump  Warblo;,  f'cnn.  Arct.  Zool.  ii.  p.  400.  — Tlic  J51ack  and  Yc 


,78.  — Yellow- 
I'^cilow  Warbler, 
(the  young  is  frjrined  only,)  ^m<Z.  pl.SOj  Om.Bio^.  i.  p.  260.  — Sylvicola  macu- 
losa, North.  ZooL  li.  p.  212.  , 

This  bird  I  first,  met  with  on  the  banks  of  the  Little  Miami,  near  its 
junction  with  tiie  Ohio.  I  afterwards  found  it  among  the  magnolias, 
not  far  frorn  Fort  Adams,  on  the  Mississippi,  These  two,  both  of 
which  happened  tu  be  males,  are  all  the  individuals  I  have  over  yjiot  of 
this  species  ;  from  which  I  am  justified  in  concluding  it  to  be  a  very 
acarci?  bird  in  tlie  United  States.  Mr.Peale,  however,  has  the  merit 
of  having  been  the  first  to  discover  this  elegant  species,  which,  he  in- 
i(,rms  me,  he  found,  several  years  ago,  not  many  miles  from  Philadel- 
phia, No  notice  has  ever  been  taken  of  this  bird  by  any  European 
naturalist  whose  works  I  have  examined.  Its  notes,  or  ratlier  chirp- 
ings, struck  me  as  very  peculiar  and  characteristic,  but  have  no  claim 
to  tlie  title  of  song.  It  kept  constantly  among  the  higher  branches, 
and  was  very  active  and  restless. 

Length,  five  inches  ;  extent,  seven  inches  and  a  half;  front,  ores, 
and  behind  the  ear,  black ;  over  the  eye,  a  fine  line  of  white,  and  an- 
other small  touch  of  the  same  immediately  under ;  back,  nearly  all 
black ;  shoulders,  thinly  streaked  with  olive ;  rump,  yellow ;  tail- 
coverts,  jet  black ;  inner  vanes  of  the  lateral  tail-feathers,  white  to 
within  half  an  inch  of  the  tip,  where  they  are  black  ;  two  middle  ones, 
wholly  black ;  whole  lower  parts,  rich  yellow,  spotted  from  the  throat 
downwards  with  black  streaks ;  vent,  white ;  tail,  slightly  forked ; 
wings,  black,  crossed  with  two  broad,  transverse  bars  of  white ;  crown, 
fine  ash  ;  legs,  brown ;  bill,  black.  Markings  of  the  female  not 
known. 


'■^\ 


BLACKBURNIAN 


WARBLER.  —  SYLVIA 
Fig.  107. 


blackburnij:.— 


Lath.  ii.  p.  461 ,  No.  67.  —  Peote's  Museum,  No.  7060. 
SYLVlCOr^  BLACKBURmJE.~JA.Kvit^s. 
Sylvia  Blackburniop,  Bonap.  Sv^ot.  p.  80. 

This  is  another  scarce  species  in  Pennsylvania,  making  its  appear- 
ance here  about  the  beginning  of  May,  and  again  in  September,  on  its 
return,  but  is  Kt;ldom  seen  here  during  the  middle  of  summer.  It  is  an 
active,  KJlcnt  bird  ;  inhabits  also  tlio  alaie  of  Ncvv  York,  from  whencd 
it  was  firat  sent  to  Europe.    Mr.  Latham  has  numbered  this  as  a  vari- 


'■'1     ,li 


232 


AUTUMNAL   WARBLER 


I 


etvof  the  Yellow-fronted  Warbler,  a  very  different  species.  The 
specimen  sent  to  Europe,  and  first  described  by  Pennant,  appears  also 
KTe  been  a  female,^;  the  breast  is  said  to  be  y^^lo^' "f  ead  of 
the  brilliant  oran?e  with  which  it  is  ornamented.  Of  the  nest  and 
habits  of  this  bird  I  can  give  no  account,  as  there  is  not  more  than  one 
or  two  or  these  birds  to  be  found  here  in  a  season,  even  with  tlie  most 

^'Se  BlacSll;rni.n  Warbler  is  four  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  sev- 
en in  extent;  crown,  black,  divided  by  a  line  ot  orange;  the  bkck 
aL  n  bounded  on  the  outside  by  a  stripe  of  rich  orange  parsing  over 
?h?  eye ;  under  the  eye,  a  small  touch  of  orange  yellow  ;  whole  throat 
and  breast,  rich,  fiery  orange,  bounded  by  spots  and  streaks  of  black; 
be  v  dull  yellow,  also  streaked  wiUi  black  ;  vent,  white  ;  back,  black, 
skirted  with  ash  ;  wings,  tlie  same,  marked  with  a  large  lateral  spot  of 
wlSe;  tit sMghtly  forked;  the  interior  vanes  of  the  three  exterior 
feathers,  white ;  cheeks,  black ;  bill  and  legs,  brown.  The  female  is 
yeZw  where  the  male  is  orange;  the  black  streaks  are  also  more 
obscure  and  less  numerous. 


AUTUMNAL  WARBLER. -SYLVIA  AUTUMNALIS.-F.o.  108. 

SVLVICOLAl  ^UrUM-VjlLIS.  — Jabdink. 
Sylvicola  autumnalis,  liouap.  Synop.  p  81. -The  Autumnal  Warbler,  And.  plale 

This  plain,  little  species  regularly  visits  Pennsylvaiua  from  the 
nortli,  in  the  month  of  October,  gleaning  among  the  Y'"^  l^^^f.^j 
but;  what  is  singular,  is  rarely  seen  m  spring.  From  the  Ist  to  the 
15tfi  of  October;  they  may  be  seen  in  considerab  e  mnnbers,  almost 
,evSy  day,  in  gardens,  particularly  among  the  branches  of  Uie  weeping- 
Sw,  and  seem  exceedingly  industrious.  They  have  some  reseni- 
bW  ?n  color,  to  the  Pine" creeping  Warbler;  but  do  not  run  along 
the  trunk  like  that  bird,  neither  do  they  give  a  preference  to  the  pines. 
¥hey  are  also  less.  After  the  first  of  iNovember,  they  are  no  longer 
to  hi  found,  unless  the  season  be  uncommonly  mild.  These  birds 
doubtless,  pass  through  Pennsylvania  in  spring,  on  their  way  to 
the  north ;  but  cither  make  a  very  hasty  journey,  or  Ireqncnt  the  tops 
of  the  tellest  trees;  for  I  have  never  yet  met  witii  one  ot  them  in  that 
seion;  though  in  October  I  have  seen  more  than  a  hundred  m  an 

''"Sr^t  Stches  and  three  quarters ;  breadUi,  eight  inches ; 
whoKp'per  parts,  olive  green,  streaked  on  Ae  back  wiUi  dusky 
striDes;  tail-coverts,  ash,  tipped  with  olive ;  tail,  black,  edged  vith 
dSf  white  the  thre;  exterior  feathers,  marked  near  the  tip  with  white ; 
w^naJ  deep  dusky,  edged  with  olive,  and  crossed  witk  two  bars  of 
S;  primaries,  also  tipped,  and  tliree  secondaries  next  the  body, 
Si  wTth  white;  upper  mandible,  dusky  brown;  lower,  as  well  a. 
tiie  chin  and  breJst,  dtill  yellow;  belly  and  vent,  white;  legs,  dusky 
brown  feet  and  claws,  yellow;  a  pale,  yellow  ring  surrounds  the 
efr^j!!  L..W  of  th^se  birds  often  war1)le  out  some  low  but  very 
■^eet  notes,  whife  searching  among  the  leaves  in  autumn. 


w 


l\ 


MS 


i^ 


■4? 


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U 

1^: 


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is. 


I    s 


WATER  THRUSH  o 

WATER  THRUSH. -TURDUS  AQUATICUS.-F.o.  109. 

PfaU's  Museum,  No.  6is%. 

SFJrRUS  ^QC'JITWVS.  -  8wi.«o,. 
New  York  Warfjior,  r,nn  Arrt  7nni  ;;  „  im       a  i  . 

aquatic  insects,  wapmn^  t ho  tJl  n  m"n«l  .     f-  '^'^'\"°^«  ^  «earch  of 
flies;  and,  in  sluM-f  po^s  ' boh  Inrn  roTS^  ^  '* 

Water  Wagtail.     It  is  also  PvPo^,^rj„r   .  ^  ,  ™'^  **"''  ^"^"^^^  "^  th(> 
attempt  to  V  oach    t    .u,d   'S  S^^  '^ >  '^'^^^l'???  '^^''y  on  the  lou^t 

land  forests  to  breed.  ^°  "'®  mountains  and  in- 

But  Pennsylvania  is  not  the  favorite  resort  of  this  snerip«     Ti 

on  the  UHdd.  brLcLs  of  a  ;-f  over  tlH  hro  ?'  ""''^r  f  P^^'^'''^'^ 
out  his  cl  arming  melodjv  u>ay  ?n'  LtS;  13  f  ^'"'''  T^^ 
1  mile.     The  voice  of  t '      attle  b       an^  S  t  '  "^^""'^  '"''* 

sw.et  and  expressive,  th..  [     as  ?Fr    ,  nf     ."^- '°  '^^9"»«''^ly 

traveling  the'  deep-shaded  1  X.  h^t  1 "     brTlfo'°  '^.  ^"^"^ 

tJf    f^    l',^'"'^^'^  '"^  '"*^''«"  ''^"?'  ""i  "i"e  and  a  half  in  ex 
iTin;  nf  "  .      "Pr""  ^"'^  ^^'■^  "^'^  uniform  and  very  dark  olve  with 

rcsembli  ^  it  in  manners.    Male  and  fe.aal..  nearly  al;  e 


984 


PAINTED  BUNTING 


PAINTED  BUNTINO.-EMBERIZA  CIRIB  -F.o.  UO.  M.»; 
rAiniCi^  t'lo.  Ill,   Female. 

and  r«063.  sj'/Zj*    C/H/S.  —  BoNAr»«Tr.* 

.        r.  «.«„«  n  107  -    .a  penser'mc  noiipBfcil 


And.  pi.  3.i,  malp  ami  lemale ,  urv.  i>n„ 


Am.  p>.  i*'i  ■""■■  ' ,  .    .„  „<• 

T„.s   is  one  of  the  .ost  "-^VkUw^"-^^^^^^^^ 
I.L  Louisiana  whero.t;H-^^^^^^^^ 

hnbitantB,  and  called  by  ""_"'  ^  ^  '  f  mannern  have  procured  it 
,VonpnreU.  ItB  pay  ^i^^^^-^^f.  J,^  „'  ,!  ^t  „nffly  attractive,  and  carry 
many  admirers  ;  tor    h^^  J"J^'  ^^'JJ  Jw  witl'  tl'em.    The  low  cc.un- 

their  own  '•«««"^7;^"^^;  ""V  n  the  v  cinity  of  the  sea,  and  a  ong  the 
tries  of  th('  Southern  States,  '"J^^J^'^'"  '  the  rice  plantations,  are 
borders  of  our  lar.e  f'V-«,  f^Uc  •    Jy  J  J         .North 

the  favorite  haunts  of  thi^^  el'  gam  iiu  numerous,  and  still  more 

Carolina-,  in  So"th  Carolina  they  are  ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^  ^  ^rst  met  them 
HO  in  the  lower  parts  "»  .^'  "f'".-   ^\^^^  they  seemed   rather  scarce. 

at  Natchez,  on  ^'^^  .^^jCTXo' o^mJ 

Below  n.ton  ^^""Se, along  the  lye^  ^^^^^^  ^^^^  j.,„  ^^on 

appear,  ..  in  great  ""'"^'^J^ '  ^^^^here  they  were  warbling  from  almost 
as  1  approached  New  O^^^'^";'  ™j  before  me  every  few  minutes, 
.very 'fence,  and  ""f  "^^^^JieoT the  Indigo  Vd,  (Fig.  'A) 

more  concise. 

„  .^.,1  It  l«  rpnnisile  thai  ronsiderable 

""  ^hu"sr-.»  run  pu..»..,  ;.„t;.  =  ^'S » "Jrir  ;i~S' 

rS,«lta,  itat  il  ™*l '»  '''"'"'"  f"  ;  SeV»  uoaVin;!,  ™»e.,  pom™  «■ 


t         !l 


PAHTED  lUJNTINO. 

thJ  ivet?  hhaSuf"n,rn']^  T""!^^^  domesticated  in  the  ho,«es  of 
wi«  rrencti  inhabitants  of  New  OrlennH,  appearintr  tn  be  t\m  m.^mt 
oommor,  c.^n  bin!  they  havo.  The  no^e,  often  bnnl  tf.en^  o  Z> 
ket.  from  the  ne.frhborinjr  plantations,  for  Hale  ;  either  i^  cuTes  tTen 

banks  ot  the  Mis.iHs.ppi,  a  few  miles  below  Bayou  Fourche  took  me 
•no  h.H  garden,  which  is  spacious  and  majrnih\,ent,  to  S?;.  me  Ms 
nviary ;  whrro,  ,t,n  ...many  of  onr  common^b.rrls,  I  obscrvnd  severS 
Normare.ls,  two  o!    ..Inch  had  nests,  ana  wore  tl...,  hntrhinc 

\V.;ro  th.;  same  attf-ntjori  be8town<l  on  thcs.-  birds  ii«  on  tL  r^„n«™ 
I  have  no  .loubt  but  they  would  breed  with  e  qua  Icilty  anS  beroS 
o^iuaHy  numerous  and  familiar,  while  tho  ri'lmess  of  t£  »l,l,Z 
miarht  compensate  for  their  inferiority  of  sonj^  M,!  o?  hS3 
.n  H  ™":;^'"f' ' '"  ?"'-"P:';  ''"<«  I  th'nk  I  have  so,3.,  ro  rca"  tha? 
m  Holland  attempt,  have  been  made  to  breed  th.m,  and  with  sur'cess 
When  the  employm,.ntH  of  the  i.eople  ol'  the  Unild  Statr s  bprnm« 
more  sedentary  like  those  of  tnrop,  the  inn  "'ent  arul  a^^^^^^^ 
amusom..nt  of  keepmg  and  rearing  bird.  ,n  this  manner,  wiKcome 
.no  e  fjenera  than  .t  ,h  at  presnnt,  and  their  manners  bette  known 
And  I  cannot  but  tin nk,  that  an  intercourse  with  these  little  innocent 
warblers  is  favnrab  e  to  delicacy  of  feeling  and  sontimont  "f  hunSy  ' 
or  I  have  oh.,.rved  th,,.  rndoat  and  most  savago  softened  into  benJvo- 

Six  of  these  birds,  u  hich  I  brought  with  me  from  New  Orleans  by 
sea,  soon  became  reconciled  to  the  cage.  In  good  weather,  tie  males 
sang  w,t,h  groat  sprightliness,  though' they  htd  been  caught  only  a 
few  days  before  my  departure,  fhey  were  greedily  foml  of  flies 
which  accompanied  us  m  g..at  ,  nbers  during  the  whole  vnvS 
and  nmny  of  the  pusseng^TS  am-  .d  themselves ^ith  catching  thJse' 
and  giving  them  to  the  Nonpareils;  till,  at  length,  the  birds  became  so 
well  acquainted  with  this  amu.omenf,  that  as%oon  as  they  poiceivej 
any  of  the  people  attempting  to  catch  flies,  they  assembled  at  the  front 
of  the  cage,  stretching  out  their  heads  through  the  wires  with  eaffer 
expectation,  evi.lently  miu',  interested  in  the  issue  of  their  efforts^ 

These  birds  arrive  in  Louisiana,  from  the  south,  about  the  middle 

In  M^  Ahh  .  .;;"'"  "'  '^'"'l^^riy  in  May.     In  Savannah,  according 

to  Mr.  Abbot,  they  nnivo  about  the  20th  of  April.    Their  nests  are 

usually  f^xed  in  oran^^e  hed-os,  or  on  the  lower  branches  of  the  oran4- 

ree;  I  have  also  found  them  in  a  common  bramble  or  blackberry 

ilk  f  Ir  T  ^^T^V^'^T^u^'-V  "^  '^'y  ^''''''  intermingled  with  the 
Mlk  of  caterpillars,  lined  with  hair,  and,  lastly,  with  sonie  extremely 
lit..'  roots  of  plants.  The  eggs  are  four  or  fiv.^  white,  or  rather  pearl 
colored,  marked  with  purpli.sh  hrown  specks.  As  some  of  these  nests 
ha.l  j<r-<  so  late  as  the  95th  of  June,  I  think  it  probable  that  they 
sometimes  raise  two  broods  in  the  same  season.  The  yonncr  birds  of 
","]':  "'.f "'  J"""?  the  first  season,  are  of  a  fine  green  olive  above,  and 
dull  yellow  below.  The  female,  undergo  little  or  no  change,  but  that 
of  becoming  of^  a  more  brownish  cast.  The  males,  on  tliT  contrary, 
are  lonj>  and  slow  in  arriving  at  their  full  variety  of  colors,  In  the 
second  8ea8ou,ine  blue  on  tfie  head  begins  to  make  its  appearance, 
intermixed  with  the  olive  uTeen:  the  npvt  woo»  fk«n»ii i.i_    .__!* 


336  PROTHONOTARY   WARBLER. 

on  the  back  and  ^^^  Jjf  £  SoS'aJe  tZ^LT^el^tl 
throatandlowerpartsAl  these  coio^  continues  on  the  tail. 

season,  except,  ^T^^^^SoLh-biK  attained  his  complete  colors, 
On  the  fourth  and  fifth  season,  th  ?^"^"  ""^,        ,pj     uy  ^  "^  Nq  depen- 

and  apoears  then  as  FfP^^^^^^^^'Jh^'eSS^^^^^^  i"  birds 

dence,Uwever,  can  ^/ P^;^*=,jJ  J^rprop?^^^  fo^^^  sunshine,  and  variety 
confined  m  a  cage,  as  the  want  ot  proper         »  ^^  ^^^^^^_ 

'^'^IrK  STfiVeCtfar^^^^^^^^^^  'quane.  long,  and  eight 
Ihe  JNonpareii  '»  "'  pvtpnf  head,  neck  above,  and  sides  ot 

inches  and  Uiree  q'mrtej  'J^^  lower  parts, 

tlie  same,  ^•^/'^'jK^^^^^^^ 
^T'^'Ti^irlvSreTSer  wing-coverts,  purple;  larger,  green; 

?SS^»U?a  SUer'f  l-T  .%,  »hony  1  pale  «  co,„„ 
"«£VSVS« f?:;-'!r;:rrico,  in.oc,»,  a„d  v^iou,  kind, 

being  extremely  susceptible  ol  cold. 


PROTHONOTARY   WARBLER. -SYLVIA  PROTONOTARIUS. 

—  Fio.  112. 


Arct. 


31G.-La//..    ii.    41)4.     /'/.  enl.  m.-PeaW, 


VERMIVORJil   pROT(X\'OT^RIUS.-i^ni>it<K. 


now  before  u.  »f"">  W'^  '^  *°  ^  «„„a»fu.ro.ih  whichlt 
then  a  few  screaking  lu-les,  Bcarcoiy  ruiJij  vt  n... -i-,   - 


WORM-EATING  M'ARRLER. 


337 


abundant  in  the  Mississippi  and  New  Orleans  Territories,  near  the 
river,  but  are  rarely  found  on  the  high  ridges  inland. 

from  the  peculiar  form  of  it^  bill,  being  roundish  and  remarkablv 
pointed,  this  bird  niight,  with  propriety,  be  classed  as  a  si  geSeS 
separate  family  ir:ci,iding  several  others,  viz.,  the  Blue-wingfd  Sow 
Warbler  the  Gold-crowned  Warbler,  and  Goldon-wincred  Warb lor 
represented  >n  No.  08,  and  the  Worm-eating  Warbler,  No.  113,  an  1  a 
fe^v  more.     Thn  bills  of  all  these  correspond  nearly  in  form  and  point 

IvIlftLl''^ .^^'"''■'"-\^^r•"^'■' ^•"^^^^^  '^t  the  base,  and  mom  roTnd 
than  thoHo  of  the  genus  .yma,  generally.  Tiie  first-mentioned  speci". 
lu  particular,  greatly  resembles  tliis  in  its  general  appearance ;  but  So 
bill  of  the  Prothonotary  is  rather  stouter,  and  the  yellow  much  deoner 

vlntX;  1 1.r'  ""'  f""-"t  yf"«-.  ^y^sMy  incli'ning  to  oraige; 
vent,  white;  back,  scapulars,  and  lesser  wing-coverts,  yellow  olive' 
w,ngs,ruinp,and  tail-coverts,a  lead  blue;  interior  vanJs  of  the  fom^er' 
black  ;  tail,  near  v  oven,  and  black,  broadly  edged  with  blue  ;  aTtS 
featliers,  except  the  two  middle  ones,  are  marked  on  their  inner  vanes 

Sllv  hl„'\"''''  '  TJ'  "'r^V  ^'"'  '""-^'  ^^""^  «harp-pointed  ami 
wholy  black;  eyes,  dark  hazel;  legs  and  feet,  a  leaden  gray.  The 
female  differs  in  having  the  yellow  and  blue  rather  of  a  duller  tint- 
the  inferiority,  however,  is  scarcely  noticeable.  ' 


WORM-EATING  WARBLER. -SYLVIA   VERMIVORA  - 

Fig.  113. 

Arct.  Zool.  p.  m,  No.  .■><X).-f;^«-.  .TO.  _  /..,/,.  ii.  499.  _Lo  dcmi-fi„  man^eur 
de  vers,  n„ff.  v.  325.  —  Peak's  Museum,  No.  684S.  ""^"gfeur 

VEllMlVOlLi  /'FJfXSlLFJimC.^.  -Swainso.v.* 

FircclDla  IVunsylvauica,  lirhs  i.  4,57. -Sylvia  (sub-genus  Dacnis,  Cuv.)  Pcmisvl- 

This  is  one  of  the  nimblest  species  of  its  whole  familv,  inhabitinfr 
the  same  country  w,U,  th"  i)roceding,  but  extending  its  migrations 
much  farther  nortii.  It  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  about  the  middle  of 
May,  and  leave.,  us  in  September.  I  have  never  yet  met  with  its  nest 
but  have  seen  th^m  feodinir  their  younjr  about  tlie  2.^1  of  .lune  Tiiis 
bird  IS  remarkablv  fond  of  spiders,  darting  about  wlioroyor  there  is  a 
probability  of  linding  these  insects.  If  there  be  a  branch  broken,  and 
the  leaves  withered,  it  shoots  among  them  in  preference  to  every  other 

•  This  s,„.ri.N  is  (1,0  1  vpo  of  Mr.  Swainson's  fronus  Vermivora.    The  specific 
Mh  .s  tlM.rolor..  lost.  ar.,l  I  soo  none  bettor  than  ^he  restoration  of  Brissonrold 


238  WORM-EATING  WARBLER. 

part  of  the  tree,  making  .  g-at  njstUng.  ^^  ^^^J^^^^ 

Sften  watched  itB  man<BUvresw^^^^^  j  l/ave' uniformly 

SuS  Ur  stoic^  S    &-  or  caterpillars,  or  botl.    Its 

%S^^S!?lsS^Xt.a.^^^ 

inches  in  extent ;  back,  tai    and  ^v.g,  a  fine^  ^lighlly  forked, 

inner  vanes  of  the  -^^f^^^^^'J^'^eit  s^  tJian  the  middle  ones : 
yet  the  exterior  feathers  are  bomewn  i  ^^^^^^  ^^.^,^  ^^^^^. 

head  and  whole  lower  parts,  a  dirty  b  itt  ,  ^"^ JV'^  ,^g„in  ,  ,,<,  it  de- 
streaks  of  black  one  Pa^7J,^^7;"  f ^5^^^ p"S^^  eye: 
scends  the  hind  head  ;  and  o  c  f  on  the  posterior  g  ^.^^  ^^^  ^^^^^_ 
the  bill  is  stout,  straight,  F^tty  th  ck  at  tlie         ,  ^^          ^,^^^^ 

eile  differs  ver^little  in  color  rom  the  mal.  ^  _^^  ^^^^^ 

On  Uiis  species  Mr.  Pennan  mr^  es  t^i.^ollowing  r  ^^^^ 

not  appear  in  Pennsylvania  till  ^  ,{'  "  T  P'^'^.ond  th«  raountains 
not  retiirn  the  same  way,  but  i^^^^^PP^^'^^i^^Se  Sal^le  transient 
wliich  lie  to  the  west     This  scci  s  to  JL^  the  ca  c  wm 

vernal  visitants  of  P'^'fjyJ^^^he  sS  cr,  to  pass  away  before  it 
the  whole  spring,  and  ^^'^  '  ,  T^.^  ^  eed,"  is  a  circumstance,  one 
tliought  «f -M^^^inS  to  the  norU  to  brec^^^^  ^^  discerning  a 

should  Uiink,  wculd  '''«\.^^"}P;V:l.Tarto  its  truth.  I  do  not 
naturalist  as  the  ^'^"tlK.r  ot  ...r/.c^Wo^  g^^^^^_    ^^ 

know  that  this  bird  breeds  U  the  ""rth^;^^^^  ^he  mountains,"  this 

to  their  returning  home  by  "  ^ho  cm  nt  .\  ooyonu  ^^.  ^^^^-^ 

must,  doubtless,  be  for  ^^^'j;^^!;;^^'^  J^e  gr  nd  tour.  This, 
striplings  here,  as  IS  done  u  '•;''^"P'-2vrio  "t  retro-^rade  route  for  the 
by  the  by,  would  be  a  >";r  ,;  '^  :^,SansS^could  take  advantage 
Ducks  and  Goose  ;  "n  1  K''  t'"  ;\V;  ?i^^  "  '  „,  float  down  to  the  south- 
of  tiie  current  of  the  Ohio  and  ^\!=^'^  f  f "'"  "Xorv  all  our  vernal 
.ard.  Unfortunately  ^I^^XiJ^'l^tZ^S^o^  home  .by 
r:;mL/;L^i:nriU"ghw^^^^^^^^^^^  -t  even  excepUng 

the  Geese, 

•  ArcHc  Zoology,  p  406. 


YELLOW-WINGED    SPARROW. 


239 


YELLOW-WINGED  SPARROW.- FRINGILLA  PASSERINA.- 

Fio.  114. 

Peak's  AtuseMti,  No.  6535. 
EMBERIZ^ !    l'^SSKRr.V.9.~J.KHn,:iE.* 
Fringilla  (sub-geims  Spiza)  passerina,  Bomp.  Sifnop.  p.  109. 

Of 'Sfo  nn£^  'T'^'  i'  "°''  ^''^  ^^^'^^  t""«  introduced  to  the  notice 
torv  wMcl  ]kp  th '!'  T''''' ''^r''"^^^  '"^^^'•'^^  Illustrating  its  his- 
bo^b'ut  a  dull  lt.n  f  f  "'n  y  individuals  of  the  human  race,  would 
of  New  Yn  Its  P  "T^''^  °'''"''"^y-  ^^  ^"^^^^'^s  the  lower  parts 
^vhoreT  Wnh  Tf^^^T^'  '«  ^^^-y  numerous  on  Staten  Is  and, 
Jersey  R  t  S  ^f -f,'  ''"'i  «'^'^»'--\'^'^o  ^'«nj?  the  sea-coast  of  New 
Jersey.  But,  thoufrh  it  breeds  in  each  of  these  places,  it  does  not  ro- 
raaminany  of  them  durinsr  tlie  winter.  It  haLi  short  weak  Tntei- 
rupted  cherup,  which  it  occa.sionully  utters  from  tlie  fencJsand  tot 
of  low  bushes.     Its  nest  is  fixed  on  the  .round  among  the  gmss  ;  h 

nhntf  Th'rr'''''^  r'^-r^  ''"'^^'  ^^'^''  hairand-fibrous^mos'of 
On  tt  fiS  f  ¥'  '"■'.'J'^'  °f^,\^''-'"y'^^h  ^^'hite,  sprinkled  with  brown. 
On  tlie  first  of  August  1  tound  the  iemale  sittin<r 

I  cannot  say  what  extent  of  range  this  spccies'lins,  havino-  never  met 
with  It  in  the  Southern  States ;  though  I  have  no  doubt  tha"t  h  wTn S 
there  with  many  others  of  its  tribe.  It  is  the  scarcest  of  all  our  sum- 
mer SpaiTows.  It^  food  consists  j.rincipally  of  grass  seeds,  and  the 
arvffi  of  insects,  which  it  is  almost  continually  in  search  of  mrion' 
he  loose  soil  and  on  the  surf  ,ce  :  .consequently  it  is  more  useful  V- 
the  farmer  than  otlierwiso. 

The  length  of  this  spi^cics  is  five  inches ;  extent,  ei<rht  inches  • 
upper  part  of  the  head,  blnckish,  divided  by  ,1  slight  line  of  "4ite  • 
hind  head  and  neck  ahovo,  marlced  witli  short  lateral  touches  of  bl;u-k 
and  white  ;  a  line  of  yellow  extend.^  from  above  the  eye  to  the  nos- 
tril;  cheeks,  plain  lirownish  white  :  back-,  streaked  with  black,  brown 
and  pale  ash;  shoulders  of  tlie  wings,  above  and  below,  and  lesser 
coverts,  olive  yellow ;  greater  wing-coverts,  black,  edged  with  pnle 
ash  ;  primaries,  light  drab  ;  tail,  the  same,  the  fiiathers  rather  pointed 
at  the  ends,  the  outer  ones  wjiite ;  breast,  plain  yellowish  white,  or 
pale  ochre,  which  distinguishes  it  from  the  Savannah  Span-ow,  (Fig. 
10..;)  belly  and  vent,  white  ;  three  or  four  slight  touches  of  dusky  at 
the  sides  of  the  brei^t;  legs,  flesh  color;  bill,  dusky  above,  pale 
bluish  white  below.    The  male  and  female  are  nearly  alike  in  color 


A  few  of  those  birds."  ilio  Pri.ico  of  MiisiOTano  remarks. 


'  can  never  '-c 


H'paratcd  in  any  natural  arrangement."  What  are  now  placed  under  tho  namo 
Mnza,  will  require  a  .siib-genus  for  themselves,  perhaps  the  analogous  form 
of  that  genu,  in  the  New  Worl.l.  In  this  species  we  have'  the  palSnob  ^d 
convergmgedgesoftho  mandible.,;  and,  by  Bonaparte,  it  is  placed  among  The 
ihrBnXg'-En'"'  "'^"°"  °' '""  -''-^-- i-- -  formCig  the  prs^fe t 


240 


BLUE    GROSBEAK. 


^   »^ 


BLUE  GllOSBEAK.-LOXIA   CCERULEA. - F,o.  115. 

GUIBACA    CiERULEA — Swain.oh.* 
Fringilla  cwrulea,  Bonap.  Stjnop.  p.  114. 

!;Svata.  "in  tSe  Unitfd  States,  however,  it  is  a  scarce  HPee,^^^^^ 

'"ThoBluo(irosboakis«ix  inches  Ion,?,  ami  t«»  .'"/^^es  in  e^  ^ ;  / 

''-rhelmde'i8'ol''lkrk"  drab  color,  tinned  with  blue,  and  considera- 
blv  liVhtesfblw^  I  suBpcct  the  males  are  subject  to  a  change  of 
!  In  S  -Ser.  The  foun^,  as  usual  with  u.auy  othor  specks, 
do  not  receive  the  blue  color  until  the  ensum?  spnnp:,  and,  till  then, 

"7Zm  Ss'l^o  vaSe!r-of  this  species:  the  fi^t,  wholly  blue, 


'   l.nxia  cciTuloa  i^  nol  (\gute< 
t  I..ArHAM,  ii    p   lltJ. 


In  uc  /'/.  .  nl.     That  bird  is  a  Pilylwi. 


I 


) 


MiaSISSIPPI    KITE. 


341 


MISSISSIPPI   KITE  — FALCO   MISSISSIPPIENSIS.— Fig.  IMJ 

Male. 

Peale's  Musnim,  No.  '103. 

L'Ictinie  ophiopliaga,  Iclinia  ophiopliagn,  Vvntl.  Gall,  des  Ois.  pi.  17.  — Faucon 
ophmpImM  2<l  edit.  rf«  Now.  Diet.  d'Hisf.  N„t.  ii.  p.  lO,'),  female,  (aucl. 
Vieill.)  —  I'aico  plumbcus,  liotiap.  Srjimp.  p.  ;J(). 

This  new  species  I  first  observed  in  the  Mississippi  Territory,  a  few- 
miles  below  Natchez,  on  the  pliintation  of  William  Dunbar  Esq 
where  the  bird  represented  in  the  plate  was  obtiiined,  after 'bein? 
slifrlitly  wounded ;  and  the  drawin"?  made  with  jrrfiat  earn  from  tlie 
livinaf  bird.  To  the  hospitality  of  the  ffontlcmun  above  mentioned^ 
and  his  amiable  family,  I  am  ind<-bted  for  the  oi)port,uiiity  aiforded  mo 
of  procuringr  this  and  one  or  two  nu)re  new  specicH.  This  excellent 
man,  whose  life  lias  been  devoted  to  science,  thou<,rh  at  that  tiino  con- 
fined to  bed  by  a  sevjre  and  dancrerous  indisposition,  and  pensonally 
unacquainted  with  me,  no  sooner  iieaid  of  my  arrival  at  the  town  of 
Natchez,  than  he  sent  a  servant  and  horses,  v.'ith  an  invitation  and 
request  to  come  and  make  his  house  mv  home  iind  licid-qiiarters 
while  engaged  in  exploring  that  part  of  the  country.  The  few  happy 
days  I  spent  there  I  shall  never  forget 

In  my  perambulations  I  frequently  remarked  this  Hawk  sailing 
about  in  easy  circles,  and  at  a  considerable  height  in  tlie  air,  eener^ 
ally  in  company  with  the  Turkey  Buzzards,  whose  manner  of  flight  it 
so  exactly  imitates  as  to  seem  tlie  same  species,  only  in  miniature  or 
.seen  at  a  more  immense  lioight.  Why  tliese  two  birds,  whose  food 
and  manners,  in  other  respects,  are  so'  different,  should  so  frequently 
associate  together  in  air,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  cnmpreiiend.  Wo  cannot 
for  a  moment  suppose  them  nuitually  deceivod  by  the  similarity  of 
each  other's  flight:  the  kconno.i-f  of  their  vision  forl)ids  all  suspicion 
of  this  kind.  They  may  ])orliaps  be  ennr.iged,  at  sii(;ii  times,  in  mere 
amusement,  as  they  are  ob.-^orvea  to  soar  to  great  heights  previous  to 
a  storm,  or,  what  is  more  proiKible,  they  in  ly  both  be  in  pursuit  of 
their  respective  food ;  —  one,  that  lie  may  reconnoitre  a  vist  extent  of 
surface  below,  and  trace  the  tainted  atmtisphero  to  his  favorite  car- 
rion; the  otiier  in  search  of  those  large  beetles,  or  coleopterous 
insects,  that  are  known  often  to  wing  the  iiigher  regions  of  the  air ; 

*  This,  from  rvery  ;iiithority,  anpoars  to  be  the  Falrn  pli.'mbai,<:  nf  Li-.tlinm. 
Vieillol  lins  dfsrribcd  it  in  his  Galhrip.  dm  Oismux,  under  liie  title  ol'  Icrima 
ophiophaxa,  dpsoriptive  of  its  manner  of  feedinsif;  but  haj  since  restored  the 
spcrific  name  lo  what  it  should  be  by  the  ripht  of  |)riorily  entitled.  Tiie  ffenus 
ho.vovcr,  is  rolniiied.  and  appears  yet  confined  to  America",  iiihabitinir  the  Somheni 
Slates  of  the  northern  continent.  South  America,  and  iMexIco.  It  will  he  rharac- 
teri/ed  by  a  short  l)ill ;  short,  slender,  scutellated.  and  pardy  feathered  Uirsi,  and 
wiUi  ilie  outer  loe  (onnected  by  a  incuibrane  ;  tne  claws,  -ihnrt  •  winj^s,  very  lone, 
reachino:  beyond  the  tail ;  the  tail,  even.  Bonaparte  i!i.,u; ,  th.il  it'^jhould  stand 
intermediate  between  Falco  and  MUvils,  somewhat  allied  to  BiUeo. Ed 

21 


t^ 


11 ,'  ' 


242 


MIS3ISS11T1  KI  'E. 


and  v.hirh,  in  tlu<  throe  individuals  of  this  .pocics  of  Hawk  which  I 
ovn.inod  bv  dissection,  were  the  only  miWmces  found  in  the, r 
bS  5.S  For  several  miles,  as  I  passed  near  Bayou  Manclmk,  the 
?rees  were  swanninff  wiUi  a  kind  of  Cica.la,  or  locust,  that  made  a 
lie  frnimr  noise  •  and  here  I  observed  numbers  of  the  Hawk  now 
Selte  uf  sreepin/about  among  the  trees  like  Swallows,  evidently  u. 
pursuVof  tSl^^^^^^ ;  so  that  insects,  it  would  appear,  are  the  prm- 
purhuit  oi  I  •'        Yet  when  we  contemplate  the  beak  iind 

tims  oil     S,  KTso  Shis  and  powerful,  it  is'difficuh  to  believe 
tha   rtiev  were  no   intended  by  nature  for  some  more  foniudable  prey 
than  leetles,  locusts,  or  grasshoppers;    and  I  doubt  not  but  mice, 
li7  mirsnakes  and  small  birds,  furnish  him  with  an  occasional  repa^st. 
finSSugh  wounded  and  precipitated  from  a  vast  height 
exhibited,  in  his  distress,  symptoms  of  great  strength  and  an  almost 
unconqSrible  spirit    I  no  sooner  approached  to  pick  hiui  up  tJmn  he 
"nstanSy  gave  bJvttle,  striking  rapidly  with  his  claws,  wheeling  round 
and  round  as  he  lay  partly  on  his  rump,  and  defe^nding  himsel    w,  h 
emit  vi-ihuice  and  dexterity  ;   while  his  dark,  red  eye  sparkled  witli 
S     Notwithstanding  all  my  caution  i"  «^fn?hmi  to  carry  him 
\ume,  he  struck  his  hind  claw  into  my  ^and  with  such  fo  ce  as  to 
ne  ctrate  into  the  bone.     Anxious  to  preserve  his  life,  I  endeavored 
SvtodScn™         but  this  made  him  only  contract  it  the  more 
So   orfS;  S^^   sudi  pain  tliat  I  had  no  otlier  alternative  but  that  ■ 
S?ru  t iV^  he  sinow  of  his  heel  with  my  penkmte.    The  ^vhylo  time 
he  lived" with  me,  he  seemed  to  watch  every  movement  I  made; 
erecting  the  feathers  of  his  hind  head,  and  eyeing  me  wiUi  savage 
fierceness  ;  considering  me,  no  doubt,  as  the  greater  savao-e  of  the  wo. 

What  etfe^t  education  might  have  had  on  *>%«P;;^;^^^  ""'^f  *  JlT 
shin  of  some  of  the  old  European  professors  of  falconry,  1  know  not, 
but  if  e'tent  of  wing,  and  energy  of  character,  and  ease  and  rapidity 
of  fli-lit\vould  have  been  any  recommendations  to  royal  patronage, 
this  species  possesses  all  these  in  a  very  eminent  degree. 

The  long-pointed  winffs  and  forked  tail  point  out  the  affinity  of  this 
bird  to  liat  familv  or  subdivision  of  the  Falco  genus,  distinguished  by 
tJ.p  uilmeof  Kites,  which  sail  witliout  flapping  the  wings,  and  eat 
fniin  their  talons  at.  they  glide  along.  .     ,        •      ,       ^i  i 

Tk  Mississippi  Kite^nea.sures  fourteen  inches  in  length,  and 
thirt-ix  inches,  or  three  feet  in  extent !  The  head,  neck,  and  exte- 
rior vo£  of  the  secondaries,  are  of  a  hoary  white  ;  tJ.e  lower  parts,  a 
Xshash:  bill,  cere,  lores,  and  narrow  ine  round  the  eye,  black ; 
back  nnp  scapulars,  and  wing-covorts,  dark  blackish  ash ;  wing.s 
verflorL  pointed,  the  third  quill  the  longest;  tho  primaries  are 
Lck  min;e.ldowne.ch  side  of  the  shaft  with  reddish  sorcl ;  pri- 
na  y  ovort.s  also  slightly  touche.l  .ith  the  s:..me ;  all  the  upper 
n  im-i^e  at  the  roots  is  white;  tJie  scapulars  are  also  spot.e,  with 
J  ite -but  this  cannot  be  perceived  unless  tJ.e  feathers  be  blown 
Is  de  •  ta  sli-htlv  forked,  and,  as  ^^ell  as  the  rump  jet  black  ;  legs 
vermiiion.  tinged  ^vith  oninge,  and  be<oming  bhu-kish  towards  the 
toes  ■  cl;,  rt  s,  bluck  :  iris  of  the  eye,  dark  red  ;  pupil,  black. 

Thi'j  ^^as  a  male.  With  the  female,  which  is  expected  soon  irom 
thnt  country,  T  slu.ll,  in  a  future  volume,  communicate_  ""^^  further 
Information  relative  to  their  manners  and  incubation  as  I  may  be  able 
to  collect 


TENNESSEE  WARBLER. 


243 


TENNESSEE  WARBLER.  —  SYLVIA  PEREGRIN  A  -Fi«.  117. 

Peale's  Museum,  No.  T787. 

FEKMIVORA   PKREORIJVJl.  —  BwAinso:i. 

Sylvia  peregrina,  Bomp.  Smop.  p.  87.  —  Sylvicola  (Vermivora)  peregrina. 
North.  Zool.  u.  p.  185.  i  f     e>      > 

This  plain,  little  bird  has  nitherto  remained  unknown,  i  first  found 
it  on  the  banks  ol'  Cumberland  River,  in  the  state  of  Tennessee,  and 
suppose  it  to  be  rare,  having  since  met  with  only  two  individuals  of 
the  same  species.  It  was  hunting  nimbly  among  the  young  leaves, 
and,  like  all  the  rest  of  the  family  of  worm-eaters,  to  which,  by  its  bill, 
it  evidently  belongs,  seemed  to  partake  a  good  deal  of  tlie  habits  of 
the  Titmouse.  Its  notes  were  few  and  weak ;  and  its  stomach,  on 
dissection,  contained  small  green  caterpillars,  and  a  few  winged 
insects. 

As  this  species  is  so  very  rare  in  the  United  States,  it  is  most 
probably  a  native  of  a  more  southerly  climate,  where  it  may  be 
equally  numerous  with  any  of  the  rest  of  its  genus.  The  small  Ceru- 
lean Warbler,  (Fig.  81,)  which,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  almost  all  over 
the  Atlantic  states,  is  extremely  rare,  I  found  the  most  numerous  of 
Its  tribe  in  Tennessee  and  West  Florida ;  and  the  Carolina  Wren, 
(Fig.  51,)  which  is  also  scarce  to  the  northward  of  ?.iary]and,  is  abun- 
dant tlirougii  the  whole  extent  of  country  from  Pittsburgh  to  New 
Orleans. 

Particular  species  of  birds,  like  different  nations  of  men,  have  their 
congenial  climes  and  favorite  countries  ;  but  wanderers  are  common 
to  both  ;  some  in  search  of  better  fare,  some  of  adventures,  others  led 
by  curiosity,  and  many  driven  by  storms  and  u'^cidcnt 

The  'i'cnnesseo  Warbler  is  four  inches  am.  th^-o  (v wrters  long,  and 
eight  inches  in  extent;  the  back,  ruinp,  and  tail  ..'uvf rts  are  of  a  rich 
yellow  olive;  lesser  wing-covorts,  the  same;  wi.igs,  deep  dusky, 
edged  broadly  with  yellow  olive;  tail,  forked,  olive,  relieved  with 
dusky  ;  checks  and  upper  part  of  the  liead,  inclining  to  lioht  bluish, 
and  tinged  with  olive  ;  line  from  tlie  nostrils  over  the  eye,  pale  yellow, 
fading  into  white ;  throat  and  breast,  pale  cream  color ;  beIJ7  .\J 
vent,  white  ;  legs,  purplish  brown ;  bill,  pointed,  and  thicker  at  ^he 
base  tlian  those  of  the  Siflvia  genus  generally  are  ;  upper  mandible, 
dark  dusky ;  lower,  somewhat  paler  ;  eye,  hazel. 

The  female  differs  little,  in  the  color  of  her  plumage,  from  the  male; 
the  yellow  line  over  the  eye  is  more  obscure,  and  the  olive  not  of  ao 
rich  a  tint. 


344 


KENTUCKY  WARBLER. 


KENTUCKY   WARBLKR— SYLVIA  FORMOSA. -Fio.  116 

Peak's  Museum,  No.  7786. 

SYLVICOI^I  FORAlOSji.— J AKDim. 

Sylvia  formosa,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  84.  -  The  Kontucky  Warbler,  And.  pi.  38,  male 
ami  iciiiale ;  Orn.  lho«;.  i.  p.  19C. 

This  new  and  beautiful  species  inhabits  tlie  country  whose  name 
it  bears.    It  is  also  found  generally  in  all  the  intermediate  tracts 
between  Nashville  and  New  Orleans,  and  below  that  as  far  as  the 
Balize,  or  mouths  of  the  Mississippi ;  where  I  heard  it  several  times 
t«itterin<r  amom--  the  high,  rank  grass  and  low  bushes  ot  tliose  solitary 
and  desolate  looking  morasses.'  In  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  it  is 
particularly  numerous,  frequenting  low,  damp  woods,  and  builds  its 
nest  in  tlie  middle  of  a  thick  tult  of  rank  grass,  sometimes  in  the  fork 
of  a  low  bush,  and  somctiinos  on  the  trround  ;  in  all  of  which  situations 
I  have  found  it.    Tlie  materials  are  loose,  drv  grass,  mixed  with  the 
lifrht  pitli  of  weeds,  and  lined  with  ii;iir.     The  female  lays  lour,  and 
sometimes  '^ix  (Mr.rn,  pure  white,  sprinkled  with  specks  of  reddish.    I 
observed  her  sining  early   in  May.    This  species   is  seldom  seen 
ttmon<T  the  hi"h  branches  ;  but  loves  to  frequent  low  bushes  and  cane 
swamps,  and'is  an  active,  sprightly  bird.    Its  notes  are  loud,  and  in 
threes,  resembling  iwenile,  twmllr,  tirmlk.     It  appears  in  Kentucky 
from  the  soutli  about  the  middle  of  April,  and  leaves  the  territory  oi 
New  Orleans  on  the  approach  of  cold  weather  ;  at  least  I  was  assured 
that  it  does  not  remain  there  during  the  winter.     It  appeared  to  mo  to 
bo  a  restless,  fK'hting  species :   almost  always  engaged  m  pursuing 
some  of  its  fellows  ;'  tiiough  this  iniglit  have  been  occasioned  by  its 
numbers,  and  the  particular  season  of  spring,  when  love  and  jealousy 
rage  with  violence  in  the  breasts  of  the  feathered  tenants  of  the  grove ; 
who  experience  all  the  ardency  of  those  passions  no  less  than  their 

lord  and  sovereign,  man.  ,     ,    ,r  i  i     ■  i  ^ 

The  Kentucky  Warbler  is  hve  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  eight 
inches  in  extent ;  the  upper  parts  are  an  olive  green  ;  line  over  the 
eve,  and  partly  under  it,  and  whole  lower  parti^,  rich  brilliant  ye  low  ; 
head,  sli>rhtlv  crested,  tlie  crown,  deep  bl«  k,  towards  the  hind  part 
spotted  with  light  ash;  lores,  and  spot  cinring  down  tlie  neck, 
also  black;  tail,  nearly  rven  nt  the  end.  and  ot  a  r.rh  ohw  green ; 
interior  vanes  of  that  and  tlie  >»ings,  dusiy :  legs,  an  almost  trans- 
parent, pal(^  flesh  color.  .  ^  *• 
The  female  wants  lAe  bbck  under  the  «?ye,  and  1»°  greater  part  of 
tJiat  on  the  crown,  fcaviBf  those  parts  ypJ.lowish.  This  bird  is  yerv 
abundant  in  the  moist  woods  along  the  Tennessee  and  Cumberland 
Rivers 


PRAIRIE   WARBLER. 


345 


I 


PRAIRIE    WARBLER -SYLVIA  MINUTA.-Fio.  119. 

Peak's  Museum,  No.  7784. 
SYLVrCOl^l  DISCOLOR.- J ARDitt*.* 
Sylvia  discolor,  Vieill.  pi.  98,  (auct.  Bonap.)  -  Bonap.  Syrwp.  p.  02. 

This  pretty  little  species  I  first  discovered  in  that  singular  tract 
o  country  in  Kentucky,  commonly  called  the  Barrens.  I  sTiot  several 
afterwards  in  the  open  woods  of  the  Chactaw  nation,  where  they  were 
more  numerous.  They  seem  to  prefer  these  open  plains  and  thinly- 
wooded  tracts ;  and  have  this  singularity  in  tiieir  manners,  that  they 
are  not  easily  alarmed ;  and  search  among  the  leaves  the  most  leisurely 
0  any  of  the  trihe  I  have  yet  met  with;  seeming  to  examine  everj 
hlade  of  grass  and  every  leaf;  uttering  at  short  intervals  a  feehlc 
chirr,  [have  observed  one  of  these  birds  to  sit  on  tlie  lower  branch 
of  a  tree  for  half  an  hour  at  a  time,  and  allow  me  to  come  up  nearly  to  the 
f.)Ot  of  the  tree,  without  seeming  to  be  intlie  least  disturbed,  or  to  dis- 
continue the  regularity  of  its  occasional  note.  In  activity  it  is  the  ro- 
vers- of  the  preceding  species ;  and  is  rather  a  scarce  bird  in  the 
countries  where  I  found  it.  Its  food  consists  principally  of  s.,.p,11 
caterpillars  and  winged  insects. 

The  Prairie  Warbler  is  four  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  six  inches 
and  a  lialt  m  extent;  the  upper  parts  are  olive,  spotted  on  the  back 
with  reddish  chestnut ;  from  the  nostril  over  and  under  the  eve,  yellow  • 
lores,  black ;  a  broad  streak  of  black  also  pusses  beneath' the  yellow 
under  the  eye  ;  smr.ll  pointed  spots  of  black  reach  from  a  little  below 
that  along  the  side  of  the  neck  and  under  the  wings;  throat,  breast, 
and  belly,  rich  yellow  ;  vent,  cream  colored,  tinged  with  yellow  ;  win^s 
dark  dusky  olive ;  primaries  and  greater  coverts,  edged  and  tipped 
with  pale  yellow  ;  second  row  of  coverts,  wholly  yellow ;  lesser,  olive  • 
tail,  deep  brownish  black,  ligher  on  the  edges ;  the  three  exterior 
leathers,  broadly  spotted  with  wiiite. 

The  female  is  destitute  of  the  black  mark  under  the  eye ;  has  a 
few  slight  touches  of  blackish  alonir  the  sides  of  the  neck ;  and  some 
faint  shades  of  brownish  red  on  the  back. 

The  nest  of  this  species  is  of  very  neat  and  delicate  workman- 
ship, being  pensile,  and  generally  hung  on  the  fork  of  a  low  bush  or 
thicket;  it  is  formed  outwardly  of  green  moss,  intermixed  with  rotten 
bits  of  wood  and  caterpillar's  silk ;  the  inside  is  lined  with  e.xlremely 
hne  fibres  of  grape-vine  bark ;  and  the  whole  would  scarcely  weigh  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce.  The  eggs  are  white,  with  a  few  brown  spots  at 
the  sreat  end.  These  birds  are  migratory,  departing  ^ot  the  south  in 
October. 

•  Bonaparto  i>  ,>f  opinion  that  this  is  the  same  with  Vieillot's  Sylvia  discolor.  I 
nave  not  had  an  opportunity  of  examining  it.  — Ed. 

21* 


m 


346 


CAKv  UNA   PARROT 


i^ 


1 1  .f- 


CAROLINA    PARROT— P81TTACUK  CAROLINENSIS- 

Fia.  120. 

Linn  S.     lU.-Catesb..U.--I^hA.m.--ArctZo<U.  ^12,  No.  132.  IWrf. 
t.inn.  iSM  ^^  _  p^^^,,  Miuatm,  No.  762. 

CiWURVS  CAROUJVFJf SIS.  — KvHL.* 

Con..r.«  (^arolinonsis.  7C.«W.  consp.  pnlt.  Sov.  actCeas.  Ltop  torn.  x.  p.  4.  23.- 

Of  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  kinds  of  P«"«t8  enumorated  by 
Riironoin  writers  as  inhabiting  the  various  regions  of  the  glob.;  ihm 
is  teonlv  species  found  native  within  the  territory  of  the      n.tod 
Sta  Jh     'li-  va.t,  and  luxuriant  tracts  lying  w.linn  the  torrid  zone 
spom  tobe  the  fuvoritn  resilience  of  those  noisy,  niunerouH,  and  richly- 
nlna^ed  tribe..     Tiie  Count  de  Bnffon  has,  indeed,  circumscnbed 
«irole  "m,ms  of  Parrots  to  a  space  not  extending  more  than  twenty- 
t  reergrc..H  on  each  .ide  of  the  equator,  but  later  discoveries  have 
showi    Ins  stuteiuent  to  be  incorrect,  as  tliese  birds  have  been  tonnd 
o    m     conti.  out  as  fnr  south  as  the  Straits  of  Magellan,  and  even  on 
X    emo te    lo"  "s  of  V:u,  Diemen's  Land,  in  Terra  Australasia.     The 
gpec^rn  '  V      der  consideration  is  also  known  to  inhabit  th(.  interior 
n?  1    uiPn  11  and  tli-  shores  of  the  Mississippi  and  Ohio,  and  their 
tHbu  a  ^^  X  ,  0  en  bevond  the  Illinois  lliver,  to  the  neighborhood 
of  iSe  Mich -an,  in  lat.  42  deg.  north;  and,  contrary  to  the  gen- 
e r,  IV  m-eive  ''opir.ion,  is  chiefly  re>,ident  in  all  these  places.     Last- 
wa  d  hoover,  ot"  the  oroat  range  of  the  Alleghany,  it  is  seldom  seen 
•artt  north    han  the  .state  of  Mary'-u,  though  straggling  part  es 
S^e!^  occasionally  observed  an..,:   u  3  valleys  ot  the  Juniata; 

.  In  -.ll  eountrics  Parrots  havr  been  favoiir..  r.n.ing  from  their  playful  and  do- 

.otlieirnusr.^      a>  UU      o       .m    m      \  ^v-o.-ation  of  conv.yinfr  pra,se 

;:;;;r,^u:;v^'";ES'.rr"Ar;ho  prise,.!  ,..1.,^  ....v  are  n>«ch  scght  after,  an,,  a 
..  .00,1  PaVrol-  will  still  l.rins  a  |;'.|;''  P;"--,,j^.^  .„.  ,h,  p^utaddct,  wher^  ttov  are 

laiu.n.     I    I    .n.|.<.-Ml.lo  f<.r  'i'>  """"''    ,     -;o,ffeous  appearance  of  a  flock, 

Srtinp  amon^he  s.tperb  foliage  ol  a  (rop.oal  forest 

In  <'Vh\y  robcn  iif  mnny  colored  piilcliea, 

Tlw  I'urrots  swung  liko  blosPOiiiH  from  tlin  trees, 

While  thvM  h»Mh  voices  unduceived  Ihc  ear.  tat. 


\  \UOLINA   PARUOr. 


247 


and,  according  to  Momo  even  twenty-five  niilos  to  tho  north-west  of 
Albany,  in  the  state  of  New  York.*  But  sn  i  accidontal  visits  fur- 
nifili  no  certain  criterion  by  which  to  judgw  "  their  n  ••!  oxtont  of 
range,— -those  aerial  voyagers,  ih  well  us  dthers  who  vigate  the 
deej),  being  Hubjfct  to  be  castaway,  by  the  v^  lenco  of  theeieioei!ta,on 
li.stantsliores  and  unltnown  countries, 

F'Vom  these  circumstances  tfthe  northern  ronnlence  u,  this  species, 
w.'  might  be  justified  in  <  n.,(  ludin;'  it  to  be  a  very  hardy  bird,  more 
pablo  of  anstiiining  cold  than  niiio  teuMis  of  it :  tri!  •■ ;  and  so  I  be- 
lli vo  it  is.  -iiaving  myself  seen  them,  m  tiic  month  of  Fobrunry, 
along  the  banks  of  tho  Ohio,  in  a  snow  storm,  tlying  about  like  PI'tlohs, 
and  in  full  cry. 

Thn  preference,  however,  which  this  bird  <'ives  to  thr;  western  coun- 
tries, lying  in  the  same  parallel  m  latitude  with  those  eastward  of  the 
\lleghaiiy  Mountains,  wliirh  it  rarely  or  never  visits,  i.s  worthy  of  re- 
'lark;  aid  has  been  adduced,  by  ditferent  writers,  as  a  proof  of  the 
aupcrior  mildness  of  climote  in  the  former  t)  that  of  the  latter.  But 
tiicre  are  other  reasons  for  this  pur  '\ty  efiually  powerful,  though 
liitherto  overlooked;  namely,  certain  pcculi  features  of  country  "to 
which  these  birds  are  particularly  and  strongly  attaclied ;  thuso  are, 
low,  rich,  alluvial  bottoms,  aloiijj;  Ifin  borders  of  creeks,  covered  with 
a  gigantic  growth  of  sycamore-tress,  or  button  wood;  deep,  and  al- 
most iinpeti  trablc  wiunps,  where  the  vast  and  towering  cypress  lills 
its  still  mo!  mil,  siic  head  ;  and  those  ingular  salines,  or,  as  thoy  are 
usually  cal  .1  /tc<»,  so  generally  inti  f'-sed  over  that  country,  and 
which  are  c  ularly  and  eagerly  visi'  ,  ny  tiie  Paroquets.  A  still 
greatfr  inducement  is  tho  superior  abundam'e  of  their  favorite  fruits. 
That  fooi  vvli'  h  the  Paroquet  pret'ers  to  all  others,  is  the  seedf  the 
cockle  bur,  a  piant  rarely  foimd  i'  the  lower  parts  f  Pennsylvania  or 
New  York;  but  which  unfortunately  grow  in  too  groat  abundance 
along  the  shores  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  ;  so  much  so  as  to  render 
the  wool  of  those  sheep  that  pasture  where  it  most  abounds,  scarcely 
Avorth  the  cleaning,  covering  them  with  one  solid  mass  of  burs, 
wrought  up  and  embedded  into  the  fleece,  to  the  great  annoyance  of 
this  valuable  animal.  The  seeds  of  tlie  cypress-tree  and  hackberry, 
as  well  as  beech  nuts,  are  also  great  favorites  with  these  birds ;  the 
two  former  of  which  are  not  commonly  found  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
the  latter  by  no  means  so  general  or  so  productive.  Here,  then,  are 
several  powerful  reasons,  more  dependent  on  soil  than  climate,  for 
the  preference  given  by  these  birds  to  tlie  luxuriant  regions  of  the 
west.  Pennsylvpnia,  indeed,  and  also  Maryland,  abound  with  excel- 
lent apple  orchards,  on  the  ripe  fruit  of  which  the  Paroquets  occision- 
ally  feed.  But  I  have  my  doubts  whether  t'lcir  depredation^  ui  the 
orchard  be  not  as  much  the  result  of  wanton  play  and  mischief,  as  re- 
gard for  tho  seeds  of  tiie  fruit,  which  they  are  supposed  to  be  in  pur  *it 
of.  I  have  known  a  flock  of  these  birds  alight  on  an  apple-tre(  aid 
have  myself  seen  them  twist  ofl'the  fruit,  one  by  one,  strowing  it  in  every 
direction  around  the  tree,  without  observing  that  any  of  the  depreda- 
tors descended  to  pick  them  up.  "  .■>  a  Paroquet,  which  I  wounded 
and  kept  for  some  considerable  time,  I  very  often  offered  apples,  which 


*  Barton's  Fragments,  &c.  p.  6.    Introduc  lion. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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13  WEST  MAIN  STRfiET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  M580 

(716)  e7'i-4503 


248 


CAROLINA   PARROT. 


.^ 


it  uniformly  rejected ;  but  burs  or  beech  nuts,  never.  To  another  very 
beautiful  one,  which  I  brought  from  New  Orleans,  and  which  is  now 
Bitting  in  the  room  beside  me,  I  have  frequently  offered  this  fruit,  and 
also  the  seeds  separately,  which  I  never  knew  it  to  taste.  Their  local 
attachments,  also,  prove  that  food,  more  Jian  climate,  determines  their 
choice  of  country.  For  even  in  the  states  of  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and 
the  Mississippi  Territory,  unless  in  the  neighborhood  of  such  places  an 
have  been  described,  it  is  rare  to  see  them.  The  inhabitants  of  Lex- 
ington, as  many  of  tliein  assured  ine,  scarcely  ever  observe  them  in 
that  quarter.  In  passinci'  from  that  place  to  Nashville,  a  distance  of 
two  hundred  miles,  I  neither  heard  nor  saw  any,  but  at  a  place  called 
Madison's  Li'^k.  In  passing  on,  I  next  met  with  them  on  the  banks 
and  rich  flats  of  the  Tennessee  River:  after  this,  I  saw  no  more  till  I 
reached  Bayou  St  Pierre,  a  distance  of  several  hundred  miles  ;  from 
all  which  circumstances,  I  think  we  cannot,  from  the  resideucea  of 
these  birds,  establish  with  propriety  any  correct  standard  by  which  to 
judge  of  Ihe  comparative  temperatures  of  different  climates. 

In  descending  the  River  Ohio,  by  myself,  in  the  month  of  February, 
I  met  with  the  first  flock  of  Paroquets  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little 
Scioto.  I  had  been  informed,  by  an  old  and  respectable  inhabitant  of' 
Marietta,  that  they  were  sometimes,  though  rarely,  seen  there.  I  ob- 
served flocks  of  them,  !iftfcrwards,at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  and  Little 
Miami,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  numerous  creeks  that  discharge 
themselves  into  the  Ohio.  At  Eig  Bone  Lick,  thirty  miles  above  the 
mouth  of  Kentucky  River,  I  saw  them  in  great  numbers.  They  came 
screaming  through  the  woods  in  the  morning,  about  an  hour  after  sun- 
rise, to  drink  the  salt  water,  of  which  they,  as  well  as  the  Pigeons, 
are  remarkably  fond.  When  they  alighted  on  the  ground,  it  appeared 
at  a  distance  as  if  covered  with  a  carpet  of  the  richest  green,  orange, 
and  yellow:  they  afterwards  settled,  in  one  body,  on  a  neighboring 
tree,  which  stood  detached  from  any  other,  covering  almost  every  twig 
of  it,  and  the  sun,  shining  strongly  on  their  gay  and  glossy  plumage', 
produced  a  very  beautiful  and  splendid  appearance.  Here  I  had  an 
opportunity  of  observing  some  very  particular  traits  of  their  charac- 
ter :  Having  shot  down  a  number,  some  of  which  wore  only  wounded, 
the  whole  flock  swept  repeatedly  around  their  prostrate  companions, 
and  again  settled  on  a  low  tree,  within  twenty  yards  of  the  spot  where 
I  stood.  At  each  successive  discharge,  though  showers  of  them  fell, 
yet  tiie  affection  of  the  survivors  seemed  rather  to  increase ;  for,  after 
a  few  circuits  around  the  place,  they  again  alighted  near  me,  looking 
down  on  their  slaughtered  companions  with  such  mmifest  symptoms 
of  sympathy  and  concern,  as  entirely  disarmed  me.  I  could  not  but 
take  notice  of  the  remarkable  contrast  between  their  elegant  manner 
of  flight,  and  their  lame  and  crawling  gait  among  the  branches.  They 
fly  very  much  like  the  Wild  Pigeon,  in  close,  compact  bodies,  and  with 
great  rapidity,  making  a  loud  and  outrageous  screaming,  not  unlike 
that  of  the  Red-headed  Woodpecker.  Their  flight  is  sometimes  in  a 
direct  hne ;  but  most  usually  circuitous,  making  a  great  variety  of  el- 
egant and  easy  serpentine  meanders,  as  if  for  pleasure.  They  are 
particularly  attached  to  the  large  sycamores,  in  the  hollow  of  the 
trunks  and  branches  of  which  they  generally  roost,  thirty  or  forty,  and 
■ometimes  more,  entering  at  the  same  hole.    Here  they  cling  close  to 


CAROLINA   PARROT. 

They  appear  t.;  l.e1;,K"4eD 'an^H  "A"  '^^""^  ""'^  «'«"  by  the  bills, 
the  day,  probably  to  take  the,?'r!     ,^^"  '^"^  *"  their  holes  duS 
«ocmble    and  fond  of  each  oXer  S*""  "'''^^     '^^'y  «r«  extreme"? 
and  necks,  and  always,  SnShf'nf*?"  ^'^^'^^'^^S'each  other's  hea£ 
other,  preferring,  at  that  fimf  ^  "^^*^'"^'  ^«  ''^^^^  as  possible  to  S 
their  bill  and  cLs.    jj  2,^42  ^^p'^^r^^i  P''^'*'"^ -PPO^^^^ 
npe,  they  swarm  along  the  coS  or  h    .^^'^  ^'^^'^^  ^^^l^'e  burs  are 
above  New  Orleans,  ffr  a  aSLtLJ^^f ™"°/^"  °"  ^'^^  Mississipp? 
and  eaten  by  man v  of  thl  fnh  l!^®"**     ^*  «"eh  times,  thev  are  kill„!i 
flesh  very  indiffSf  thlvetvS' ?'"^V'  confess  I SS 
s'ty,  in  the  woods:  but  fS  1"^        /™^^  '^'^'^'^  on  it  from  neceT 
of  a  keen  appetite' to  recomrneidr''^  ""''''''''  "'"^  «"  t™°  S" 

theC^Xtr^^  and  intestines  of 

termined,  when  at  Big  Bone  to  nn?  t2;?J   .u^''''""  *°  "ats.    1  had  de- 
for  that  puijose  colleLd  tS'e tKnd  bl'of'^"^ '"P''""^^^ 
of  them.    But  after  close  search  mSI^p'"  "^""""^  t^^"  ^  dozen 
heing  engaged,  perhaps    on   mL  u^"'^  '^'^  »ot  to  be  found 

medicine  with  Mr!^  Co?t un's  a^ntTn?^ •  •^"^*"«««-  '  !««  Sfe 
portumty,  and  write  me  the  resuf  t,  1°  T^?™'"''^^  ^  «*  the  first  op! 
W  A  respectable  lady  near  th^  ^wi  IfN  ?7''y"*  heard  from 
^ord  I  can  rely,  assured  melhar«h?T°  «^ Natchez,  and  on  whose 
ment,  and  that,  whatever  Sifbe  ft.  fu^^**  "^"^^  the  experi! 
er^heronthator  the  sncSZsi^rTFrt' ^V'^"^  ^''""^^y^^^ 
tourche  pretended  to  account  to  mpfAr  f^  French  planter  near  Bayou 
mg  that  the  seeds  of  t^cLue  bui  n  '^t'^^^  r '^'^^^y  «««ert- 
eagerly  feed,  were  deleterious  to  Lte'3"/^'S  .the  Paroquets  so 

iZw^^  "f"^  ^«  intestine?  of^'e'birdVh"''  ^''''^  ^'^  P'o- 
easily  have  been  ascertained  on  the  snot  wt;  ■  ^""'^  ™**«™  might 
t  on  of , trifling  circumstances  prevent^  ^^f""'  ^°7^^"^'  ^  ^ombina- 
tunes  carried  a  dose  of  th^  fi«f  ^^®^®?ted  me  from  doing.     I  sevenil 

insufferable,  wifhlVLtti^n^VlrfsuS^^^^  ^'  Sfe 

^ther professional  gentlemen^I.^^rcoret^ClTj^^^^^^^ 

o/inrbaS^'cifrareroflll?^"'^^^^^^  ">  '^--er  the  time 
Aat  Uiey  breed  in  ho^w  Le  f  S  seT^fl  ?ffl  '  "j^'^^-    ^^  ^^^d 
had  seen  their  nests.    Some  s  lirl  thl        *  Z'^™^''  *«  "e  that  they 
that  they  did.    8,me  made  ^e  e^^J  '^^if  '"  "«  "^^terials ;  otheS^ 
man  assured  me  that  he  cut  down  Sr^. ' £  '?f  ™'  ^P^^Wed.    One 
lo^v,  and  in  which  he  found  the  brnW^    beech-tree,  which  was  hol- 
Paroquets'  eggs,  which  wprfnf"  ^'"^f™^"^  «^  "P^ards  of  twenty 
though  destr?fed  inte^tSture  b^Thetl^'"'^  f'°^'    ^he  nest^ 
he  said,  to  be  formed  of  smdl  twi^s  ll wrS  1"^  °^u^^  ^^''  geared 
side  of  the  tree,  in  the  mannor  nf?v.  ^nu-^  *"  ^^'^^  °ther,  and  to  the' 
that  if  it  were  the  prope^LTo„  Ve  eo^ilfr^^^^^  ««  ^^dS' 

from  which  they  prl,cured  thTgluey  matter^  p""'  ^  ^  ^'^  ""'^^ 
dictory  accounts  nothing  certain  can  trl/T  "^^  these  contra- 
build  ;n  companies,  in  hfllou  tries  Thnt  If  "''^'  '^'^P*  ^^at  they 
ate  in  summer,  or  very  early  in  sDrinP  T  fhl^T  commence  intubation 
the  nnn,«,...,  dissectioL  I  Ih"  Kf'-  ~  '"^  P^-^y  P'^'^'ble,  from 

R  tne  uiutiuis  of  iHarcii,  AprU,  May, 


./, 


»,''   I  1 


ihe  numerous 


f250 


CAROLINA   PAUROT. 


and  June ;  and  the  great  variety  wh.cli  I  found  m  the  color  of  the 
plumage  of  the  head  and  neck  f  both  sexes,  during  the  two  former 
rihefe  months,  convinces  me  Jiat  the  young  birds  do  not  receive 
their  full  colors  until  the  early  part,  of  the  succeeding  summer 

While  Parrots  and  Paroquets,  from  foreign  countries,  abound  m 
almost  every  street  of  our  large  cities,  and  become  such  great  favor- 
£,  no  attention  seems  to  have  been  paid  to  our  own,  which,  n 
elegance  of  figure,  and  beauty  of  plumage  is  certainly  superior  to 
many  of  them.  It  wants,  indeed,  that  disposition  for  perpetua 
Sming  and  chattering  tliat  renders  some  of  the  fornier  peste,  not 
only  to  Er  keepers,  but  to  the  whole  neighborhood  m  which  they 
reside  It  is  alike  docile  and  sociable;  soon  becomes  perfectly 
familiar:  and,  until  equal  pains  be  taken  in  its  instruction,  it  is  untair 
to  conclude  it  incapable  of  equal  improvement  m  the  language  of  man. 
As  so  little  has  hitherto  been  known  of  the  disposition  and  manners 
of  this  species,  the  reader  will  not,  I  hope,  be  displeased  at  my  detail- 
ing some  of  these,  in  the  history  of  a  particular  favorite,  my  sole 
companion  in  many  a  lonesome  day's  march,  and  of  which  the  figure 
in  the  plate  is  a  faithful  resemblance.  v-  u  * 

Anxious  to  try  the  effects  of  education  on  one  of  those  which  I 
procured  at  Big  Bone  Lick,  and  which  was  but  slightly  wounded  in 
the  win?,  I  fixed  up  a  place  for  it  in  the  stem  of  my  boat,  and  presented 
h  with  fome  cockle  burs,  which  it  freely  fed  on  in  less  than  an  hour 
after  being  on  board.  The  intennediate  time  between  catmg  and 
sleeping  was  occupied  in  gnawing  the  sticks  tliat  formed  its  place  ot 
confinement,  in  order  to  make  a  practicable  breach ;  which  it  repeatedly 
effected  When  I  abandoned  the  river,  and  travelled  by  land,  1 
wrapped  it  up  closely  in  a  silk  handkerchief,  tyiiig  it  tightly  around, 
and  carried  it  in  my  pocket  When  I  stopped  for  refreshment,  I 
unbound  my  prisoner,  and  gave  it  its  allowance,  which  it  general  y 
despatched  with  great  dexterity,  unhuskmg  the  seeds  froni  the  bur 
in  a  twinkling;  in  doing  which,  it  always  employed  ite  left  toot  to 
hold  the  bur,  as  did  several  others  that  I  kept  for  some  time.  1  began 
to  think  that  this  might  be  peculiar  to  the  whole  tribe,  and  that  the 
whole  were,  if  I  may  use  the  expression,  left-footed ;  but,  by  shooting 
a  number  afterwards  while  engaged  in  eating  mulberries,  1  found 
sometimes  the  left,  sometimes  tlie  right,  toot  stained  with  the  truit,  the 
other  always  clean;  from  which,  and  the  constant  practice  ot  those  1 
kept,  it  appears,  that,  like  the  human  species  m  the  use  of  their  hands, 
thevdo  not  prefer  one  or  the  other  indiscriminately,  but  are  either 
left  or  right-footed.    But  to  return  to  my  prisoner :  In  recommitting  it 

*  Mr  Audubon's  informalioii  on  iheir  manner  of  breeding  is  as  fo""W8:--- 
"  Their' nest,  or  the  place  in  which  ihcy  deposit  their  eggs,  is  simply  the  bottom  of 
such  caWlies  in  trees  as  those  to  which  they  usually  retire  at  n.ghl.  Many  fen.alos 
depo  irthelr  eLs Together.  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  number  of  eggs  which  each 
ncfivdual  ayf  Ts  twi,  although  I  have^o.  been  able  absolutely  to  assure  myself 
of  this  They  are  nearly  round,  of  a  rich  greenish  while.  The  young  are  at  first 
covered  'vith  soft  down,  such  as  is  seen  on  young  Owls.  .  ,.^      . 

Tmay  be  remarked  that  most  of  the  Parrots,  whose  mdifical.on  we  are 
acauainted  with,  build  in  hollow  trees,  or  holed  banks.  Few  make  a  nest  for 
themselves  b.  lay  the  eggs  on  the  bare  wood  or  earth;  and  when  the  nest  is 
buiUouJ^ard  as  b^ other  SSds,  it  is  of  a  slight  and  loose  structure.  The  eggs  are 
always  whits  —  £d. 


Ti 


CAROLINA  PARROT.  g-- 

depriving  it  of  liberty,  by  cuttini^'  TT*^  ^  ^'^'^  '"^«ted,  and  ^ 
fingers  ^ith  its  sharp^^n/^'Jerll  bt  "^rf  ^T^L'"^  ^^^^'^l  «f  m/ 
ness  between  Nashville  aS  Natchez  ,«       "  ^^^  through  the  wilder- 
description.     There  are  dZrprn..;        f  '"  ^''"'^  Prices  bad  beyond 
struggle  through, ,  ^ndered  aCtan^  *"  '"™'  '""^^  ^^  '"«^«  tS 
growth  of  timber,  and  an  uSm!,^    "^  '^^  "'^''*  ^y  "^  Prodigious 
while  the  descent  into  these  «hl.  °'  '^''"^^  '^"d  other  evergreens^ 
feet  perpendicular,  into  a  ^edfc^^^^^^^^^^^^      often  ten  or^Z' 
of  these  places,  where  I  had    L  TtL^:    i"  ^o^e  of  the  worst 
the  Paroquet  frequently  escaped  fmm'  *^^^^*  "ly  way  through 
mount  and   pursJe  it  ^through   thTwoZ^'f^l^  ^ 
could  regain  It.    On  these  occasion^  7         °^  *^^    "»o''^««    before  I 
abandon  it;  but  1  persisted  LbS„VT  f ""''"'  *""««  tempted  to 
encamped  ,„  the  woods,  I  pkced  i?^on^tli  i''^''"^-     ^^^^  ^^  night  I 
It  usually  sat  with  grea    composure  I         "'^f'^^^  ''^''''^^  '"«.  ^^I«ere 
mormng.    In  this  inanner  I  caSdif  ,?n    "  T^/^"*"^  ^^  the  fire  tiU 
my  pocket,  where  it  was  exposed  a    7'^'f'\''^!'  thousand  miles,  in 
bat  regularly  liberated  at  Sal  times  an  J  n  H' ^'^'"'?  ^^"  '^'  ^«^e" 
always  expressed  great  satisfacK      fn  n      ^'^  ^J^^n'ng,  at  which  it 
asaw  and  Chactaw  nations,  iel„dian^^^  *^'■°"•'?^  the  Chick- 

3ollected  around  me,  ui,,  .women  m.  I'lJ^'"''?'"'''  ^  stopped  to  feed, 
'vonderfully  amused  with  the  no^eUv  S  '^'■'"'  '^"^'""^'  ^"^  «««niinj 
a^aws  called  it  in  their  langua  '  ^  t/^l  ^Tf  "'«»•    The  Chick- 
rae  call  ,t  Poll,  they  soon  repe^atpf  tl.P^f  "*^ '  .  ^"*  ^"^'«"  they  heard 
to  stop  among  these  people!  wfsooibp,'"" '  ^Z''-^"'"^"'-  ^  ^^^n^^ed 
through  the  medium  of' Poll      fT        '^™''  ^^'''^f  ^^ith  each  other 
N^chez,  I  procured  a  cagrkud^lu'Tr  ""'.  ^r- Dunbar's,  beirw 
by  Its  call,  it  soon  attracteTthe  pa  siW  LT^'"'  "^k"  F^^'^^  -here, 
ment  they  have  for  each  other     iVmn  5     ^''  '"''''  '«  the  attach- 
on  the  trees  immediately  Se  teZTir''''  *^«*l"«"tly  alighted 
with  the  prisoner.    One  of  tZm  l7oZZ^  r  Tf  *""*  conversation 
the  pleasure  Poll  expressed  on  meeS    S  f^    ^  '"  *"  ^"^"^'  ^"^ 
really  amusing.    She  crept  close  up  to  it  n^l/^   "^"^  comP'^"'""  ^«« 
cage;  chattered  to  it  in  a  lowtono  nls  '^ '""?"  ™  the  side  of  the 

misfortune;  scratched  about  iL  Lad  S  ""  '!  W^^^^^mn^  in  ite 
bo  ha  night  nestled  a^  close  as  pL^  "^^^^  ,^'th  her  bill;  and 
Poll's  head  being  thrust  amon^  fi.o  T  *"  ^"^''  ^tJier,  sometimes 
death  of  this  compankm   she  fnni     ^  """^^^  ""^  ^^^  «the  .     ()„  Xe 

brr.Jr-  O"  Sing^NeTSrilS^^^^^  '"1  ^"?"-'able  t 
beside  the  place  where  she  uswSw  .Jf  a'  iP^^^'cd  a  looking-glass 
ber  image,  all  her  former  fondneJseempU  ^^  ^"^tant  she  perceived 
scarcely  absent  herself  from  it  a  molnt  Tf'"™'  '°  ^'^^^  ^'^^  ^°»Jd 
was  completely  deceived.  Alwavs  Sn  »  ^t  was  nvident  that  sh- 
during  the  day,  she  laid  her  heaTcTose  to  fh'f  ^  AT  ""'  '"^"^  "^^^^ 
glass,  and  began  to  doze  with  Z„f  ^^'^t  of  the  image  in  the 

tJus  short  spa?e  she  had  Teamfd  t*  IT'^T''  ""^  ^^^tisfaction.  In 
come  when  called  on;  to  cS  1  !.„  "f Ti, ''*''"  "'^'"^^  to  answer,  and 
eat  from  my  mouth,  i  fookTer  w^rm'J?'''  '''  ^  ""^  ^''«»''^^^'  «"d 
ve^m  her  education;  but,  de^SJt'^nSh"!  -*r "p^^P^"" 
one  morning  about  day  break,  wroughr\t'  ^a^^rgft'^^^^^ 


I     ' 


m 


252 


CAROLINA  PARROT. 


while  I  was  asleep,  instantly  flew  overboard,  and  perished  in  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico. 

The  Carolina  or  Dlinois  Parrot  (for  it  has  been  described  under 
both  tiiese  appellations)  is  Uiirteen  inches  long,  and  twenty-one  in 
extent ;  forehead  and  clieeks,  orange  red ;  beyond  this,  for  an  inch  and 
a  half,  down  and  round  the  neck,  a  rich  and  pure  yellow ;  shoulder 
and  bend  of  the  wing,  also  edged  with  rich  orange  red.  The  general 
color  of  the  rest  of  the  phimage  is  a  bright  yellowish,  silky  green,  witli 
light  blue  reflections,  lightest  and  most  diluted  with  yellow  below ; 
greater  wing-coverts  and  roots  of  the  primaries,  yellow,  slightly  tinged 
with  green;  interior  webs  of  the  primaries,  deep  dusky  purple,  almost 
black ;  exterior  ones,  bluish  green ;  tail,  long,  cuneiform,  consisting 
of  twelve  feathers,  the  exterior  one  only  half  the  length,  the  others 
increasing  to  the  middle  ones,  which  are  streaked  along  the  middle 
with  light  blue ;  shafts  of  all  the  larger  feathers,  and  of  most  part  of  the 
green  plumage,  black ;  knees  and  vent,  orange  yellow ;  feet,  a  pale, 
whitish  flesh  color ;  claws,  black ;  bill,  white,  or  slightly  tinged  witli 
pale  cream ;  iris  of  the  eye,  liazel ;  round  the  eye  is  a  small  space 
without  feathers,  covered  witli  a  whitish  skin ;  nostrils  placed  in  an 
elevated  membrane  at  the  base  of  the  bill,  and  covered  with  feathers ; 
chin,  wholly  bare  of  feathers,  but  concealed  by  those  descending  on 
each  side ;  from  each  side  of  the  palate  hangs  a  lobe  or  skin  of  a 
blackish  color;  tongue,  thick  and  fleshy;  inside  of  the  upper  mandible 
near  the  point,  grooved  exactly  like  a  file,  that  it  may' hold  with  more 
security. 

The  femali  differs  very  little  in  her  colors  and  markings  from  the 
male.  After  examining  numerous  specimens,  the  following  appear  to 
be  the  principal  differences :  —  The  yellow  on  tlie  neck  of  the  female 
does  not  descend  quite  so  far ;  the  interior  vanes  of  the  primaries  are 
brownish,  instead  of  black,  and  tlie  orange  red  on  the  bend  and  edges 
of  the  wing  is  considerably  narrower ;  in  other  respects,  the  colors 
and  markings  are  nearly  the  same. 

The  young  birds  of  the  preceding  year,  of  both  sexes,  are  generally 
destitute  of  the  yellow  on  the  head  and  neck,  until  about  the  begin- 
ning or  middle  of  March,  having  those  parts  wholly  green,  except  the 
front  and  cheeks,  which  are  orange  red  in  them,  as  in  tlie  full-grown 
birds.  Towards  the  middle  of  March,  the  yellow  begins  to  appear,  in 
detached  feathers,  interspersed  among  the  green,  varying  in  different 
individuals.  In  some  which  I  killed  about  me  last  of  that  month,  only 
a  few  green  feathers  remained  among  the  yellow,  and  these  were  fast 
assuming  the  yellow  tint ;  for  the  color  changes  without  change  of 
plumage.  A  number  of  these  birds,  in  all  their  grades  of  progressive 
change  from  green  to  yellow,  have  been  deposited  i  n  Mr.  Peale's 
museum. 

What  is  calleu  by  Europeans  the  Illinois  Fanot,(Psittacu8 pertinax,) 
IS  evidently  the  young  bird  in  its  imperfect  colors.  Whether  the  pres- 
ent species  be  found  as  far  south  as  Brazil,  as  these  writers  pretend,  I 
am  unable  to  say ;  but,  from  the  great  exi  nt  of  country  in  which 
I  have  myself  killed  and  examined  these  birds,  I  am  satiafipd  that  tlie 
present  species,  now  described,  is  the  only  one  inliabiting  the  United 
StP.tes, 

Since  the  foregoing  was  written,  I  have  had  an  opportur  ity,  by  the 


m  the  Gulf 


s,  the  colors 


CANADA    FLYCATCHER. 

head,  neck,  and  whole  intestines  of  fffp  ^  °^\^"  *  ^°^m  with  the 
morningr,  the  Tvhole  eaten,  excpntf  1  Parquet,  I  found,  on  the^next 
exhibited  no  svmntom  nf  !f  i  ^  *  ^'"'^"  P''^  of  the  bi  1  Th„  !  ! 
after  iJie  oxperCtT/bSSJ  2''  ^V'J^  -«'-nt  thrle^l 
usual  health.  Still,  however  the  pffi-.t  ^"u.  ^^'  ^'^^^"^  '^'^  in  Uadr 
the  daUy  food  or  th;  bird  bSnte^ttu^^fJ^^J  o^l£~ 


CANADA   rLVCATCHBK.-.M.SCICAPA   CaWnsIS. ^ 

Sylvia  pardalina,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  79. 

among;  the  bmiclJVr  Lmb   "fc^Vr"  ■""=  ""'"y  daSg 
them,  It  is  probable  that  fh  J  .„  T  ""^  'P^ific  naiie  oivm 

United  State.,  wSth7oZf,T7  P'™'? '"  Canada  thrift 
ge™  in  spring  'a„d  J^'^  "'"■"''M  'Aether  they  be  not  mere  p^,e„! 

fmn^'Kr^^nXpIenS' °  If'V""?-  "" -^ht  in  extent- 


254 


HOODED  FLYCATCHER. 


being  marked  with  a  broad,  rounding  band  of  bla^  k,  composed  of 
large,  irregular  streaks  ;  back,  wings,  and  tail,  cinereous  brown ;  vent, 
white ;  upper  mandible,  dusky ;  lower,  flesh  colored ;  legs  and  feet, 
the  same ;  eye,  hazel. 

Never  having  met  witli  the  fen  ale  of  this  bird,  I  am  unable,  pt 
present,  to  say  in  what  its  colors  differ  from  those  of  the  male. 


^i:|■ 


HOODED  FLYCATCHER —MUSCICAPA  CUCULLATA.- 

FiG.  122. 

Le  eobe-mouche  cilrin.  Buf.  iv.  638,  PI.  ml.  666.  —  Hooded  Warbler,  Arct.  Zool. 
p  400,  No.  287.  —  Lath.  ii.  WL—Catesb.  i.  60.  —  Mitred  Warbler,  Turton,  \. 
601.  —  Hooded  Warbler,  ibid.  —  Peak's  Miiseum,  No.  7062. 


SETOPIIAOA  MITRjlTA.—SyiikitooK. 
Sylvia  mitrata,  Bonap.  Stjnop.  p.  79. 


\ 


Why  those  two  judicious  naturalists.  Pennant  and  Latham,  should 
have  arranged  this  bird  with  the  Warblers,  is  to  yne  unaccountable,  as 
few  of  the  JMk«cicao<E  are  more  distinctly  marked  than  the  species  now 
before  us.  The  bUl  is  broad  at  the  base,  where  it  is  beset  with  bris- 
tles ;  the  upper  mandible,  notched,  and  slightly  overhanging  at  the 
tip ;  and  the  manners  of  the  bird,  in  every  respect,  tliose  of  a  Flycatcher. 
Tliis  species  is  seldom  seen  in  Pennsylvania  and  the  Northern  States, 
but  through  the  whole  extent  of  country  south  of  Maryland,  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Mississippi,  is  very  abundant  It  ie,  however,  most 
partial  to  low  situations,  wliere  there  is  plenty  of  thick  underwood ; 
abounds  among  the  canes  in  the  state  of  Tennessee,  and  in  the  Mis- 
sissippi Territory;  and  seems  perpetually  in  pursuit  of  winged  insects; 
now  and  tlien  uttering  three  loud,  not  unmusical,  and  very  lively  notes, 
resemblincr  hvee,  twte,  twdchie,  while  engaged  in  the  chase.  Like  al- 
most all  ite  tribe,  it  is  full  of  spirit,  and  exceedingly  active.  It  builds 
a  very  neat  and  compact  nest,  generally  in  the  fork  of  a  small  bush ; 
forms  it  outwardly  of  moss  and  flax,  or  broken  hemp,  and  lines  it  with 
hair,  and  sometimes  feathers ;  the  eggs  are  five,  of  a  grayish  white, 
with  red  spots  towards  the  great  end.  In  all  parts  of  the  United 
States  where  it  inhabits,  it  is  a  bird  of  passage.  At  Savannah,  I  met 
with  it  about  the  20th  of  March ;  so  that  it  probably  retires  to  the 
West  India  Islands,  and  perhaps  Mexico,  during  winter.  I  a  so 
heard  this  bird,  among  the  rank  reeds  and  rushes,  withm  a  few  miles 
of  the  mouth  of  tlie  Mississippi.  It  has  been  sometimes  seen  m  Uie 
neighborhood  of  Philadelphi!^  but  rarely  ;  and,  on  such  occasions,  has 
all  the  mute  timidity  of  a  stranger  at  a  distance  from  home. 

This  species  is  five  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  eight  in  extent; 
forehead,  cheeks,  and  chin,  yellow,  surrounded  with  a  hood  of  black 
that  covers  the  crown,  hind  head,  and  part  of  the  neck,  and  descends, 
roundinc,  over  the  breast ;  all  tlic  rest  of  the  lower  parts  are  rich  yel- 


GREEN  BLACK^APPED  FLYCATCHER.  955 

SvE:rnX''ofto';'i*''"^'!'f"?  f-J^'  yo"ow  olive;  i„te, 

flesh  colored  ;  Uer  webs  onffh''"'^  ^  »''"'  black    wt 

half  their  length^Z7Z  tiL  tu'  fterior  tail-feathers,  wh  te  S 
the  tail,  slijrhliy  forked  anfctp'f  f  ^t.  ^I'^'htl^  touched  i^ith  white' 
^,  The  femflo  WTeCoat  a,^^^^^^^^^^  f?^l!'  y«"«-  olive  ' 

blackiBh ;  tl,e  black  does  S  relh  /o  £  Jowr/h'^'^'^'^^  ''''^''^  ^^'^^ 
neck,  and  is  noi  of  so  deep  a  tint  In  fholth  ^^V^PP'  ^""^  o*"  tJ^e 
she  exactly  resembles  the  male  I  hl^r  ^''f  P*"^  °*^  ^^^^  plumage, 
little  or  no  black  on  lie  head  or  nnok  nh''""^'""^  ^^"'^le^  tliat  had 
young  birds,  not  yet  arrived 'XTfuluS:"'  *^"'  ^  '""^  ^"^  ^« 


GREEN  BLACK-CAPPED  FLYCATCHER 
PUSILLA.-Fio. 


MUSCICAPA 


123. 

Peali-'g  Museum,  No.  7785. 

SETOPUAOJil  w/.so.;v//.-j,„o,„.. 

Sylvia  Wilsonii,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  86.  -  JVon.nclature,  No.  127. 

Tmg  neat  and  active  lit.le  sopriod  T  hn„ 
works  of  any  European  na  trauS  It  iuT  Tk"^'  '""^  ""'^^  '"  the 
of  the  Southern  States,  ndhas  b;en  sovoJn'l"  •'^'*'*"'  °^*'^^  ^'^^"'P^ 
parts  of  the  states  of  New  Tersnv  and  nJi  ^™^'  '"?  '"  ^^^  ^««^«r 
unapproachable  thick.t.  of  d^^n  ornLe.  u^}^'"'''^-  Amidst  almost 
during  summer,  and  has  a  c2  moakbl  ."""""'^•'P'"^^  '^^  ^ime 
leaves  tho  Southern  States  early  Toctober       '  ""  "''"  •""''•=*'•    '^ 

Ihis  species  U  four  =— ^os  and  a  Inlf  lnn„      a    ■ 
extent;  front  Hue  over  m.  .  vo  r^iVlhot  in    "' ^"3  ««  and  a  half  in 
over  the  eye,  and  dullest  Tlhe  cheeks  be    .'■rnT'^'^'L''"^^*^^^ 
tinged  witli  olive;  upper  parts   ohve  LJ     '    ""^  vent  where  it  ia 

yeS:  ^z  :ri^::^:i^S^  or  a  du„ 

her  great  resembLce?Lw  Ve    in  othefrp'  ^"'^ /  '^r'"'    ^'<^^ 
first  figured,  she  cannot  hcreX;  be  mttakenP''''' '"  '^'  '"^'^'  "'^^ 

it  :s,^rt  ii!;^;!^^::r,t '::::x:';"L^      •""  -*'  o'-  opin-  .hat 

of  Its  discoverer.     I  have  re  t-iinpH  .'■'f'^""'.  i'^me  being  preoccupied,  he  chose  that 

will  no.  now  be  avSK'^Se' ITc^f  oTw^lst^f '  ^ 

overpaid,  and  the  reputation  of  „o  on^isherf ideated."- En.'  '^  "'"'^'^  ^ 


/ 


I 


•  i  m. 


SSe  riNNATED  OROUSE. 


PINNATED   GROUSE. -TETRAO  CUPIDO.-Fio.  184. 


ii.  p.  IW.  —  Arct.  Zool.—  La  Gelinoio  huppee 
l\%  10.—  Urogaliis  minor,  fusrus  ccrvicc,  plumis 
,  Car.  App.  pi.  1.  — Tctrao  lagogus,  llic  Mountain 


Litm.  Syst.  i.  p.  274-5.  — /.«</>• 
d'AmWque, /Jm».  f^fvV.PicVr^'^mTDiT- Tctrao  lagogus,  tlic  Mountain 

Pea/e'j  Jtfweum,  No.  4700,  male  ;  4701,  female. 


TKTRAO  CUPIDO.—Uitnxvt. 

Attaffan  Americana,  Bnsson,  i.  p.  69. -Pinnated  Healhcock,  Bonasa  cupido, 
^ateph.  Sh.  Com.  xi.  p.  299. -Tctrao  cupido,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  126. 

Before  1  enter  on  a  detail  of  the  observations  which  I  hav«  myself 
personally  made  on  this  singular  spectes  I  shall  lay  before  the  reader 
I  compro'hensive  and  very  circumstantial  memoir  oij  the  «»b^««t,  «""?- 
municated  to  me  by  the  writer,  Dr.  Samuel  L.  Mitchill,of  New  York 
whose  exertions,  both  in  hi.  public  «n<i.P"vate  capacity  in  behalf  of 
science,  and  in  elucidating  the  natural  history  of  his  country,  are  well 
known,'and  highly  honorable  to  his  distinguished  situation  and  abihtes 
That  peculiar  tract,  generally  known  By  the  name  of  tb'^  Bruahy 
Plains  of  Long  Island,  having  been,  for  time  immemorial,  the  resort 
of  the  bird  now  before  us,  some  account  of  Uus  P-^rticular  range  of 
country  seemed  necessarily  connected  with  tlie  subject,  and  has,  ac- 
cordingly, been  obligingly  attended  to  by  the  learned  proiessor. 

"JVeto  York,  Sept.  19,  1810. 

••Dear  Sir,  — It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  reply  to  your  letter  of 
the  12th  instant,  asking  of  me  information  concerning  the  Grouse  ot 

"  Ihe  b^rds  which  are  known  there  emphatically  by  the  name  of 
Grouse,  inhabit  ciiiefly  the  forest  range.  This  district  of  the  island 
,nay  be  estimated  as  being  between  forty  and  fifty  miles  m  length, 
extending  from  Bethphage,  in  Queen's  County,  to  the  neighborhood 
of  the  cSurt-House,  in  Suffolk.  Its  breadth  is  not  more  than  six  or 
seven  For,  although  the  island  is  bounded  by  the  Sound,  separating 
it  from  Connecticut  on  the  north,  and  by  the  Atlantic  Ocean  on  the 
Bouth,  tliero  is  a  margin  of  several  miles,  on  each  side,  in  the  actual 
possession  of  human  beings. 

"  The  region  in  which  these  birds  reside,  lies  mostly  within  the 
towns  of  Oysterbay,  Huntington,  Islip,  Smithtown,  and  Brookhaven ; 
though  it  would  be  incorrect  to  say  that  they  were  not  to  be  met  with 
sometimes  in  Riverhead  and  Southampton.  Their  territory  has  been 
defined  by  some  sportsmen,  as  situated  between  Hampstead  Flain  on 
the  Wejt,  and  Shinnecock  Plain  on  the  east 

"The  more  popular  name  for  them  is  Heath-Hens.  By  this  they 
are  designated  in  the  act  of  our  Legislature  for  the  preservation  of 
them  and  of  other  game.  I  well  remember  the  passmg  of  this  law. 
The  bill  was  introduced  by  Cornelius  J.  Bogert,  Esq.,  a  member  ot  the 
Assembly  from  the  city  of  New  York.    It  was  m  the  month  of  I  eb- 


/ 


PINNATED  GROUSE.  2.37 

-hall's,  t;"'ieS\TJSfthto'  ^'r""^'?'^^i'-  P-->  'vho 
botweoi,  the  iBt  (larorAnri  n.  f»  r?J'?  of  Suffolk  or  dnorns, 
cvory  8„cl.  off.lo  forfeit  in    n?  .h^"  ^^^  ''.'^  °*"  ^''-^"*'«'-'  ^l-aH,  «> 

for  the  same,  before  Z   just  c  .\5^.ho^,  '""'""  "^'V'"^"  ''^"^'^'^"^'^ 

tl.e  overn'ocrs  of  tho  poo^  a„'  f 'll*'"Tr";''l^'  "^'^  "l^  "'''^''-  '""If  to 
foundin  the  possosi  oV' ny  mZ,  l^^^^^^^^^^  kiHod,  nhall  be 

the  offence,  and  suffer  thcM.e  mlty  Zt  t  is  ^  ,'  '^^'T'"^  ^f'y  °*' 
ant  shall  bo  convicted,  unless  he  "ac-fin  1 ,  liT"'."'''''  ''"*  ""  '^^*"'^"'^- 
nionths  after  the  violation  of  the  law  *  '    ''""  '"  '^'""-^'''^  ^''''■"  three 

"  rhe  country  selected  by  those  oxnni^itn  k;  -i, 
particular  description.     You  aJr.'ndV.f,?       .      >         '"ri"""^^  "■  "'°'-« 
and  interior  district  of  tl.,i^]'nr^^Moir^^^^^^^  ^-  -'''^  '"'•"''^"'' 

speakinff,  a  sandy  or  gravelly  oTm  I  h,  i-i  i "  '"^T  ''\  ^''""""y 
it  is  more  of  arWinmixed  Ln.r'T.  1  '^  '*' 'T 'J'^^l'^*'*''"  ^'''''ff'N 
shore  of  the  beacC  beatT  y  Je  o'eu;' T '/'"'  '^T' -^''^  "'« 
which  glass  has  been  Drerirpd      ku,  '"^^  "^  material  Irom 

clominat  in  the  regbn  Sen  by  th  /  l^'alrTl""'  ""''  •"^«"=1'^«  r" 
there  are  no  rocks  and  vorv  fL       ""^^''-"cns  or  Grouse.     }fere 

tractappea^tobeaSi  7onof  ttT'  "*  k"^^""^-  '^^''*''  «'^"''y 
doomed  to  total  sterUitv     MnnVth       f"'  ''"V''  "^vertheless,  not 

from  the  wild  state  inLeS^^^  .''"■''  ''"'"  ^"^"  ^"^^^'"^•-^'' 

the  towns  freqSd  by  thet  b  rd/'h'e;:  "are  ^    ''  -an ;  and  within 

barrens,     kst  quS":  .  e  ;:r    ••^'•'?  """""•1%  ^xpurted  fronuhese 

through  careleTe"fra    i^nr  w  ^  tr'lf  ''^^^''^,?'"^  T'"^''' 
woods.     The  citv  of  IVn^v    i      -^P"'^*'   far  and  wioe  through  the 

growth  of  timLr  wHl  be^fi  "fortKxe      fZr' -f^^  ^^'^  '^''  '''"^ 
that  the  reproduction  of  tre^eirL^thrpU^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

iC  o''rt^S':t^t  p^it^^^^^^^^  °^  -",-  -  '-'icroi-s  kind, 

me  by  my  friend  Mr.  Gardfner  of  GarLpr  !  Y'',"^''/?'''  "°\  ""ff  ag:o,  related  to 
entiiled.  "An  Art  for  AepreSr^^^rofU^^^^^  ''"'>«  ''!"  was 

honest  Chairman  of  the  Assembly  -  n««J«  Heath-Hcn,  and  ollicr  game."  The 
Act  for  llie  preservation  of  S^  nnH'^rh""""'  ^  'W'"' "  '•'^'» 'he  title,  "  An 
the  Dorthera  membJ  °,  who  cS^^rl  hr  ^""^ "  "f'"^  ''""""'^  t"  ""'"nish 
any  other  heathen.       '  ^  "**'  "^^  ""«  propnety  of  preserving  /«/,„«,,  or 


QQ« 


•  s 


II 


,<■      '' 


*  ii 


PINNATED  GROUSE. 

HenH  would  bo  pcrpotiml,  or,  it.  other  wordn,  not  :ircum8cribc.l  by 
"nycarcrillntiL.!  provided  the  persecuton,  of  t'«  latter  would  bo 

"*'«  Beneath  these  trees  grow  more  dwarfl«h  oaks,  overHproadinfr  the 
.nrfaco  sometrmcs  with^ero  and  there  p  shrub,  and  somotunrH  a 
Siirkei'  These  latter  are  from  about  two  to  ten  feet  in  ho.,jl.l.  W hoTO 
thev  are  the  principal  product,  they  are  culled,  m  comnmn  conv^-isa- 
tney  are  in«  P"  «„.«  tn  which  thev  ffrow  are  tenna<'  bnuhij  plunis. 
A°"'nrtL  hidv  HtuSberrmay7re?ue«t]y  be  see..  U.e  cre.pinjr 
4Xi  naSfho^rSd/eberrLovering^^^  sand  with  itH  astmg 
vegetable  "'»'"';""'    V         ^       J  ^.^  produces  hurtloberneH 

:Sris  up  mongtLffir  natives  of  the  soil'  The.e  are  the  more 
inrrtaJ  tho»Jh  I  ought  to  inform  you,  that  the  lulls  reach.ng  from 
easT^o  wosrand  forrmng  the  spine  of  the  island,  support  kaluuas 
hickorii<H  and  many  othir  species;  that  I  hnvo  seen  azahas  nnd 
andro  Sa^aB  1  passed  through  the  wilderness;  and  that,  whore  there 
?8   waTcr    o'ranbemes,  aldcrs,%eeches,  maples,  and  other  lovers  of 

"rC%tLrs;tuate'"i'-  ^•etween  the  more  thickly  inhabited 
strips  or  belts?on  the  north  and  south  sides  of  the  island  .s  nu.ch 
Sed  by  "ago"  s,  and  intersected,  accordingly,  by  a  great  number 

"^'C't'o  the  birds  themselves,  the  information  I  possess  scarcely 
amounts  ?o  an  entire  history.  You.  who  know  the  drfticu  y  of  colic  tmg 
farts  will  bo  the  most  ready  to  excuse  mv  deficiencies,  llic  inlor- 
mSim  I  irive  youls  such  as  I  rely  on.  l^ot  the  purpose  of  gathoring 
t"hfmatorSs,r:avc  repeatedly  visited  their  haunts  I  have  .ko wise 
conversed  with  several  men  who  were  brought  up  at  \he  precincts  ot 
the  Sse.  round,  who  had  been  witnessr.  of  their  habits  and  man- 
nersrZ  wt.re  accustomed  to  shoot  them  for  the  market,  and  who 
hnve  acted  as  ffuidcs  to  gentlemen  who  go  there  for  sport. 

"/S-Arallt  Grouse,  when  fat,  weighs  as  much  as  a  bnm- 
door  fow  of  moderate  size,  or  about  three  pounds  avoirdupois  But 
fho  eagerness  S  the  sportsman  is  so  great,  that  a  large  FoP-r  'on  of 

hoseXoy  kill  are  but  a  few  months  old,  and  have  not  attained  the  r 
comDleteVrowth.  Notwithstanding  the  protection  of  Uie  law,  ,t  is 
vercommon  to  disregard  it  The^etired  nature  of  the  B'tuation  a- 
lorJ  tir  It  is  well  understood  that  an  arrangement  can  bo  ma.  o 
i^  U-h  in  btinS  and  silence  informers,  and  that  the  gun  -  re  -  j 
impuiiity  for  weeks  before  the  time  prescribed  m  the  act.  To  pr  vo  t 
S  unfair  and  unlawful  practice,  an  association  was  formed  ;,  ew 
v«ars  a<?^  under  the  title  of  the  Brush  Club,  with  the  express  and 
Jvnve.nntonti.m  of  enforcing  the  game  law.  Little  beneht,  however, 
harrcsultod  frnu,  its  laudable  exertions;  and  under  a  convic  ion  tlul 

t  wH     ™^^         to  keep  th."  poachers  away,  the. society  dee hned. 

At  .resent  the  statute  nmy  bo  considered  as  operating  very  little  to- 
^LdTthe^rpreservaticM  J  Grouse,  especially  full-grown  ones  are 
her  nmimr  loss  frequent.  Their  numbers  are  gradually  dmnn.sh  ng, 
anrs-filea  .s  hey  are  on  all  sides,  almost  without  cessation,  their 
8ci  ty  .  ai  bo  lie  Jed  as  foreboding  their  eventual  exterminaUoa 
Jpricr  -Twenty  years  ago,  a  brace  of  Grouse  could  be  bought 

for  a  Sliir.    They  no^w  cost  from  tl.ree  to  five  dollars.    A  handsome 


PINNATED  GROUSE. 


250 


d.st,njrui«he«  himBelf  b/a  po'culiar  hoS    Whc„  t  u  t  ™  ir'^Sn 
part,  about  tho  throat  are  nonsibly  inflated  i.ul  awclled      It  mt  b« 

a,  vo  j^  :tu;t't:::^'tar''^-t  i;  ,!;s.;tai!b;tSf 

Though  very  peculiar,  it  is  termed  toohV.from  itsSmbknce  to  the 
blov  mg  of  a  conch  or  horn  from  a  remote  quarter.     iTe  fe  nSle  make! 
her  n.Ht  on  the  ground,  m  recesseH  very  rarely  discovered  bv  mn.     Sh« 
usually  lays  from  ton  to  twelve  eB(r„:    Their  color  i«  of  ^Xi«,      k 
much  resembling  those  of  a  Guin^TlIen     WhenLfrhLl  mTT"''^ 
is  protected  by  ifer  alone.     Surrounded  by  he^  yo  ng  the  n,ler  Z 
exceedingly  resembles  a  domestic  Hen  and  Chickens     sl  ?«nln  S 
leads  the.n  to  feed  in  the  roads  crossing  the  woods? on  the  remSo? 
maize  and  oats  contained  in  the  dung  dropped  bv  the  travel Sh^-f! 
In  that  employment  they  are  often  s^roriSe'd  b/  h^  nrengci    "5^^ 
such  occasions  the  dam  utters  a  cry  of  alarm.     The  Httie  oKmnVe 
diately  scamper  to  the  brush;  and  while  thev  arc  skulk inlinV    T 
o    safety  their  anxious  parent  beguilesViS^^cta  c"b';iS^^^ 
flu  ter.ng  her  wings,  limping  along  tho  path,  rolling  oVer  in  thf  dirt 
and  other  pretences  of  inability  to  walk  or  fly.         ^  '^' 

"  foorf.  — A  favorite  article  of  their  diet  is  tho  htnih  a.^  „; 
partridgeberry  before  mentioned.    TheTlre  fond"*? trttee" 
and  cranberries.     Worms  and  insects  of  several  kinds  are  occSn 
ally  found  in  their  crops.     But  in  the  winter,  they  SsirchiS  on 
acorns,  and  the  buds  of  tree,  which  have  sli^d  their  leaves       nthei! 
stomachs  have  been  sometimes  observed  the  leaves  of  a  plan?  sup- 
posed to  bo  a  winter  green;  and  it  is  .aid,  when  thev  are  ,nuch 
^w"  'k*'''I^'^^'  themselves  to  the  buds  of  the  pine.    In  conve„Te„ 
places,  they  have  been  known  to  enter  cleared  fiolL,  and  regXthem- 
fhll  ''"  ?"  ^"r"'  ""^  ''°^"'"'  ^''^  «^'l  g»n"ers  have  reported  th^t 
ptLttL'g;",.r^"  *°  ''''''''  "P°"  P^^^'^-  «f  buck'ivhlfaVand 

u}!l^'^'^^i!"''~'^^V''  stationary,  and  never  known  to  quit  their 
abode.  Thoie  are  no  facts  showing  in  them  any  disposition  to  mo- 
tion. On  fro8  y  mornings,  and  during  snows,  they  perch  on  the  unner 
branches  ot  pine-trees.  They  avoid%/et  and  swampy  places  and^Sre 
remarkably  attached  to  dry  ground.  The  low  and  m-en  brush Ts  pre! 
ferred  to  high  shrubbery  and  thickets.  Into  these  laVcr  pkce.  C 
%  for  refuge  when  closely  pressed  by  the  hunters;  and  hove  under  J 
s^ffand  imp,>netrable  cover,  they  escape  the  pursu  t  of  dogs  ;nd  men 
Water  is  so  seldom  met  with  on  the  true  Grouse  ground,  thatTk 
necessary  to  carry  it  along  for  tlie  pointers  to  drink.  ^The  fl  ghL  of 


/; 


260 


PINNATED  GROUSE. 


Grouse  are  short,  but  sudden,  rapid,  and  whirring.  I  have  not  heard 
of  any  success  .^  taming  them,  ^hey  seem  to  resist  all  attempts  at 
domestication  In  tliis,  as  well  as  in  many  other  respects,  they  re- 
sSle  the  Suai  of  NeV  York,  or  the  Partridge  of  Pennsylvania. 

»M,™- During  the  period  of  mating,  and  while  the  females 
are  occup  ed  in  incubation,  the  males  have  a  practice  of  assembhng, 
Sipa lybytheniselves.    To  some  select  and  central  spot,  ^v-llero 
there  ?s  very  little  underwood,  they  repair  from  the  adjo.mng  district 
From  the  exercises  performed  there,  this  is  called  a  scratchtng-place. 
The  time  of  meeting  is  the  break  of  day.    As  soon  as  tlie     ghl  ap- 
nears,  the  company  Assembles  from  every  side,  sometimes  to  the  num- 
Eer  of  forty  or  fifty.    When  the  dawn  is  past,  the  ceremony  begins  by 
a  low  tooting  from  one  of  tlie  cocks.    This  is  '^"^-'^^^'l  J^, H^ 
Thevthen  come  forth  one  by  one  from  the  bushes,  and  strut  about 
w^all  the  prTde  and  ostentaLn  tliey  can  display.    Their  necks  are 
incurvated ;  the  featlicrs  on  them  are  erected  into  a  sort  of  rutt  ,  the 
plumes  of  their  tails  are  expanded  like  fans  ;  they  strut  about  in  a  style 
resembling,  as  nearly  as  slnall  may  be  illustrated  by  great,  the  pomp 
ofZ  T  "l  oy  cock.    They  seem  to  vie  with  each  other  in  stateliness ; 
and,  as  tlW  pass  each  othJr,  frequently  ca^.  looks  of  msult,  and  utter 
notes  of  defiance.    These  are  tlie  signals  for  battles.    They  engage 
"?th  wonderful  spirit  and  fierceness.     During  these  contests,  they 
leap  a  foot  or  two  from  tlie  ground,  and  utter  a  cackhng,  screaming, 

'""Stve  Kn  found  in  these  places  of  resort  even  earlier  than 
the  appearance  of  light  in  tlie  east  This  fact  has  led  to  the  bcl  et 
that  fpit  of  them  asse.ubln  over  night  The  rest  join  them  in  ^le 
nornhiJ  Tiiis  leads  to  the  further  belief  tliat  they  roost  on  tlie 
groun  r  And  the  opinion  i.  confinued  by  the  discovery  of  little  rmgs 
of  dun^r,  apparonlly 'deposited  by  a  tlock  which  had  passed  tlie  mght 
toseUieil     After  the  appearance  ofthe  sun  they  disperse. 

"Thp^e  placc-s  of  exhibition  have  been  often  discovered  by  the 
hunters^  and  a  fatal  discovery  it  has  been  for  the  poor  Grouse  f^ir 
destroyers  construct  for  themselves  lurking  holes  made  oijnne 
branches,  called  bough  houses,  within  a  fow  yards  of  the  parade 
HiTe  they  repair  witli  their  fowling-pieces,  in  the  latter  part  ot  the 
nit  and  wait  the  appearance  of  the  birds.  Watching  the  moment 
when  two  are  proudly  eyeing  each  otlier,or  engaged  in  battle,  or  when 
r  greater  number  can  be  seen  in  a  range,  they  pour  on  them  a  de- 
structive charge  of  shot  This  annoyance  has  been  given  m  so  many 
p  aces  and  to  such  extent,  that  the  Grouse,  after  having  been  repeat- 
EdW  disturbed,  are  afraid  to  assemble.  On  approaching  tlie  spot  to 
which  their  instinct  prompts  them,  they  percfi  on  the  neighbormg 
^ees  instead  of  alighting  lit  the  scratching-place.  And  it  remains  to 
be  obse^ed  how  far  the  restless  and  tormenting  spirit  ot  the  mark  - 
men  may  alter  the  native  habits  of  the  Grouse,  and  oblige  them  to 
betake  tliemselves  to  new  ways  of  life. 

"They  commonly  keep  together  in  coveys,  or  packs,  as  the  phrase 
is  ui  il  the  pairing  season.  A  full  pack  consists,  of  course,  of  ten  or 
a  dozen.  Two  pa"cks  have  been  known  to  associate.  I  lately  heard 
of  one^vhose  n.mber  amounted  to  twenty-two  Jhey  are  s^o  unapUo 
be  startled,  tlias  a  hunter,  asaisted  uy  a  dog,  .las  ..een  __ - 


PINNATED  GROUSE. 


261 


seam  and  sDeni«     wfjf.  ?*'  '  """'"md  an  opinion  as  to  tV 

earnest  hope  .       you  may  be  favored  wiU.  2^!  ^^nX  cSpletel 

"Samuel  L.  Mitchill." 

[o  .hi.  circ„....nce  „«  be^ardte  t,:Lt,':nd"Se"cL'S 

large  Ae,.d™»„*S  gJoli'cSUnf  t  Z  yrf^t'of  SrS 
elogant  .pecimens  shot  in  the  Barrens  of  KentScC  He  L  ™Z 
sented  m  the  act  of  *^«^,  as  it  is  called,  ,vhiIeS  Xm  ES 

•  CATtSBy,  Car.  p.  101.  App. 


P 


m 


?'     ''  J 


'i 


•262 


PINNATED  GROUSE. 


he  produces  that  extraordinary  sound  so  familiar  to  every  one  who 
resides  in  his  vicinity,  and  which  has  been  descnbed  m  «!«  foregoing 
account  So  very  novel  and  characteristic  did  the  action  of  these 
Sirds  appear  to  me  at  first  si^it,  that,  instead  of  f  ««ting  Uiem  dow^^^ 
I  sketched  their  attitude  hastily  on  the  spot,  whde  concealed  among 
a  Si-heap,  with  seven  or  eight  of  them  within  a  short  diBtance. 
Three  of  these  I  afterwards  carried  home  with  me.  ,.  ^     * 

TMs  rare  bird,  though  an  inhabitant  of  different  and  very  distant 
districts  of  North  Amirica,  is  extremely  particular  in  selecting  his 
ace  (^residence  :  pitching  only  upon  those  tracts  whose  features  and 
!:  Sclnrco^espo'nd  wit?  his'moVof  life,  and  avoiding  J--e; 
lutennediate  regions  that  he  never  visits.  Open  dry  plains,  thinly 
in  orspersed  witi  trees,  or  partially  overgrown  with  shrub  oak,  are  his 
favorite  haunts.  Accordingly  we  find  these  birds  on  the  Grouse  p  ams 
f  New  Jersey,  in  Burlington  county,  as  well  as  on  the  brusliy  plains 
of  Lone  Island  ;  among  the  pines  and  shrub  oaks  of  Pocano  in  North- 
anpton%ounty,'Penns;ivania;  over  the  whole  extent  of  the  Barrens 
,,f  Kentucky;  on  the  luxuriant  plains  and  prairies  of  the  Indiana 
Territory,  aid  Upper  Louisiana ;  and,  according  to  the  information  d 
Uie  late  Governor  Lewis,  on  the  vast  and  remote  plains  of  the  Colum- 
bia River;  in  all  these  places  preserving  the  same  singular  habite. 

Their  predilection  for  such  situations  will  be  best  accounted  for  by 
considering  tlie  following  facts  and  circumstances :- Firet,  their  mode 
of  flight  is  generally  direct,  and  laborious,  and  i"  cd^l^ted  for  the 
labyrinth  of  a  high  and  thick  forest,  crowded  and  intersected  with 
trunks  and  arms  of  trees,  that  require  continual  angular  evolution  ot 
wing,  or  sudden  turnings,  to  which  they  are  by  no  nieans  accustomed 
I  have  always  observed  them  to  avoid  the  high-timbered  groves  Uiat 
occur  here  and  there  in  the  Barrens.  Connected  with  this  fact,  is  a 
circumstance  related  to  me  by  a  very  respectable  inhabuant  of  that 
country,  viz.,  tliat  one  forenoonu  cock  Grouse  struck  the  stone  chimney 
of  his  house  with  such  force  as  instontly  to  fall  dead  to  the  ground. 

Secondly,  their  known  dislike  of  pt.nds,  marshes,  or  watery  places, 
which  they  avoid  on  all  occasions,  drinking  but  seldom,  and,  it  is 
believed,  never  from  such  places.    Even  in  confinement  this  peculiarity 
hu   been  taken  notice  ot:    While  I  was  in  Uie  state  of  Temiessee  a 
person  living  within  a  few  miles  of  Nashville  had  caught  an  old  hen 
Grouse  in  a  trap  ;  and,  being  obliged  to  keep  her  in  a  large  cage,  as 
she  struck  and  abused  the  rest  of  tl.e  poultry,  he  remarked  that  she 
never  drank,  and  that  she  even  avoided  Uiat  quarter  of  the  cage  wiiere 
the  cup  containing  the  water  was  placed.    Happening,  one  day,  to  let 
some  water  fall  on  the  cage,  it  trickled  down  m  drops  along  the  bars, 
which  the  bird  no  sooner  observed,  than  she  eagerly  picked  hem  off, 
drop  by  drop,  with  a  dexterity  that  showed  she  had  been  habituated  to 
Smode  of  quenching  her  thirst;  and,  probably,  to  this  mode  only 
n  those  drv  and  barren  tracts,  where,  except  the  drops  of  dew  and 
drops  of  rain,  water  is  very  rarely  to  be  met  with.    F^-^  the  space  of ^ 
week  he  watehed  her  closely,  to  discover  whether  she  «t'lljef"f  ^  !° 
drink  •  but  thouffh  she  was  constantly  fed  on  Indian  Corn,  the  cup 
and  w'aS  stTSained  untouched  and  untasted.    Yet  no  sooner  ^S 
he  again  sprinkle  water  on  the  bars  of  the  cage,  than  she  eagerly  and 
rapidly  oickc?  them  off  as  before 


//•!: 


I         PINNATED  GR018E.  3^3 

towj  of  YoT  K"  '°'r "^  -^'^  *"^^*^^t-  A  few  miles  3TZ 
town  of  York,  m  Pennsylvania,  commences  an  extent  of  countrv 
formerly  of  the  character  described,  now  chiefly  covered  withTS' 
but  still  retaining  the  name  of  Barrens.  In  the  r^ecollSn  if  an  old 
man  born  m  that  part  of  the  country,  this  tract  abounded  S  Grouse 
The  timber  growing  up,  m  progress  of  years,  tliese  birds  totallvdi^ 
appeared;  and,  for  a  long  period  of  time,  he  had  seenlne S^  the^ 
until,  migrating  with  his  family  to  Kentucky,  on  entmng  the  Ln!ns 
he,  one  morning  recognized  the  well-known  music  of  hfsoHar' 
quaintance  the  Grouse;  which,  he  assures  me^are  Se  ver?  sarn^ 
with  those  he  had  laiown  in  Pennsylvania.  ^ 

But  what  appears  to  me  the  most  remarkable  circumstance  relativP 
to  this  bird  IS,  that  not  one  of  all  those  writers  who  havrattemnted 
n^voT'^'i'^'^"  ?\'°  "^^  ^T'  "«tice  of  those  two  extraordinl^^^^^^ 
of  yellow  skin  which  mark  the  neck  of  the  male,  and  which  coStitute 
so  staking  a  peculiarity.  These  appear  to  be  formed  by  an  expansTon 
tl  h  /""^>  ^/u  "  ^'  «^  ^"^^  ^-^t^rior  skin  of  the  neck,  whkh  when 
the  bird  IS  at  rest,  hangs  m  loose,  pendulous,  wrinkled  folds  alonrthn 
side  of  the  n«;k,  the  supplemental  wings,  at  the  same  t  me  a^  wfll^ 
when  the  bird  is  flying,  lying  along  die  neck,  in  tiieTa^ner  repr? 

«rf  fnV?  T  -f.*^^-  '^•'•^"^  ^^"^•'^  «»  the  plate.  But  when  these7ags 
are  inflated  with,  air,  m  breeding  time,  they  are  equal  in  sfzeS 
very  much  resemble  in  color,  a  middle-sized,  fully  ripe  oL?e'  Bv 
ZnZf  ^^'  -^inous  apparatus,  which  is  ^ery  ^observaMe^Svef^ 
hundred  yards  off;  he  is  enabled  to  produce  tiie  extraordinary  so3 
mentioned  above,  which,  though  it  may  easily  be  imitated  is  vet  dffi 
cult  to  describe  by  words.  It  consists  of  VeeTott,  of  the  sam^ 
tone,  resembling  those  produced  by  the  Night  Hawks  in  their  rS 

fr'"*'w.?**'*™"^^^  ^'"^''^'^^  the  last  bling  twice  as  long  as  the 
others     When  several  are  thus  engaged,  the  ear  is  unable  to  dis^n 
guish  the  regularity  of  these  triple  notes  there  beincr"  at  such  imes" 
one  continued  bumming,  which  is  disagreeable  and  perplexing  fTom 
Uio  impossibiMy  of  ascertaining  from  ^hat  distance,^orteTfuart^^^ 

geSS  ils'^f'a'T^^^^^^^^^  ""'l'  "^^  '"'?  ''^'l'  ^"  *«  -tents 
£;f„t  I  r  '^^^"rkey  cock;  erecting  and  fluttering  his  neck 
w  ngs,  wheeling  and  passing  before  the  female,  and  close  before  £s 
fel  ows,  as  m  defia^ice.  Now  and  then  are  heard  some  rapid  cacklmff 
notes,  not  unlike  that  of  a  person  tickled  to  excessive  lafiter  a  I 
m  short,  one  can  scarcely  listen  to  them  without  foeling  disponed  to 
augh  from  sympathy,  hese  are  uttered  by  the  males  4iKncmge1 
in  fight,  on  which  occasion  the/  iPnn  .,,.  o^ajno*  — u  -.^u   "  ._   °, ^ • 


if- 


\m 


264 


PINNATED  CROL3E. 


the  manner  of  Turkeys,  seemingly  with  more  raa..ce  than  effect 
This  bumming  continues  from  a  little  before  daybreak  to  eight  or 
nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  the  parties  separate  to  seek  for 

food-  .  n      ,      ■  ^  i       U 

Fresh  ploughed  fielda,  in  the  vicimty  of  their  resorts,  are  sure  to  be 
visited  by  th'ese  birds  evenr  morning,  and  frequently  also  in  the 
evening.    On  one  oi  these  I  counted,  at  one  time,  seventeen  males, 
most  of  whom  were  in  the  attitude  represented  in  the  plate ;  making 
such  a  continued  sound,  as,  I  am  persuaded,  might  have  been  heard 
for  more  than  a  milo  off.    The  people  of  the  Barrens  informed  me, 
that,  when  the  weather  becomes  severe,  with  snow,  they  approach  the 
barn  and  farm-house,  are  sometimes  seen  sitting  on  the  fences  in 
dozens,  mix  with  the  poultry,  and  glean  up  the  scattered  grains  of 
Indian  com,  seeming  almost  half  domesticated.    At  such  times,  great 
numbers  are  taken  in  traps.    No  pains,  however,  or  regular  plan,  has 
ever  been  persisted  in,  as  far  as  I  was  informed,  to  domesticate  these 
delicious  birds,    A  Mr.  Reed,  who  lives  between  the  Pilot  Knobs  and 
Bairdstown,  told  me,  that,  a  few  years  ago,  one  of  his  sons  found  a 
Grouse's  nest  with  fifteen  eggs,  which  he  brought  home,  and  immedi- 
ately placed  below  a  Hen  then  sitting,  taking  away  her  own.    The 
nest  of  the  Grouse  was  on  the  ground,  under  a  tussock  of  long  grass,    i 
formed  with  very  little  art,  and  few  materials ;  tJie  eggs  were  brown- 
ish white,  and  about  the  size  of  a  pullet's.    In  three  or  four  days,  the 
whole  were  hatched.    Instead  of  following  the  Hen,  they  compelled 
her  to  run  after  them,  distracting  her  with  the  extent  and  diversity  of 
their  wanderings ;   and  it  was  a  day  or  two  before  they  seemed  to 
understand  her  language,  or  consent  to  be  guided  by  her.    They  were 
let  out  to  the  fields,  where  they  paid  little  regard  to  their  nurse  ;  and, 
in  a  few  days,  only  tliree  of  them  remained.   These  became  extremely 
tame  and  familiar;   were  most  expert  flycatchers;  but,  soon  after, 
they  also  disappeared. 

The  Pinnated  Grouse  is  nineteen  inches  long,  twenty-seven  inches 
in  extent,  and,  when  in  good  order,  weighs  about  three  pounds  and  a 
half;  the  neck  is  furnished  with  supplemental  wings,  each  composed 
of  eio-hteen  feathers,  five  of  which  are  black,  and  about  three  inches 
loncrf  the  rest  shorter,  also  black  streaked  laterally  with  brown,  and 
of  unequal  lengths ;  tlie  head  is  ^.iightly  crested ;  over  the  eye  is  an 
ele-rant,  semicircular  comb  of  rich  orange,  which  the  bird  has  the 
power  of  raising  or  relaxing ;  under  the  neck  wings  are  two  loose, 
pendulous,  and  wrinkled  skins,  extending  along  the  side  of  the  neck 
for  two  thirds  of  its  length ;  each  of  which,  when  inflated  with  air, 
resembles,  in  bulk,  color,  and  surface,  a  middle-sized  orange ;  chin, 
cream  colored ;  under  the  eye  runs  a  dark  streak  of  brown ;  ,whole 
upper  parts,  mottled  transversely  with  black,  reddish  brown,  and 
white ;  tail  short,  very  much  rounded,  and  of  a  plain  brownish  soot 
color ;  throat,  elegantly  marked  with  touches  of  reddish  brown,  white, 
and  black ;  lower  part  of  the  breast  and  belly,  pale  bro^vn,  marked 
transversely  with  white  ;  legs,  covered  to  the  toes  with  hairy  down  of 
a  dirty  drab  color ;  feet,  dull  yellow ;  toes,  pectinated ;  vent,  whitish ; 
bill,  brownish  horn  color ;  eye,  reddish  hazel.  The  female  is  con- 
Biderably  less ;  of  a  lighter  color,  destitute  of  the  neck  wings,  the 
naked,  yellc-  skin  on  the  neck,  and  the  Bemicircular  comb  of  yellow 
over  the  eye. 


// 


ban  effect. 
0  eight  or 
to  seek  for 

sure  to  be 
ilso  in  the 
teen  males, 
;e;  making 
been  heard 
formed  nie, 
)proach  the 
!  fences  in 
(1  grains  of 
imes,  great 
ir  plan,  has 
icate  tiiese 

Knobs  and 
)n3  found  a 
nd  immedi- 
own.  The 
long  grass,  I 
.fere  brown- 
ur  days,  the 
'  compelled 
diversity  of 
r  seemed  to 

They  were 
nurse ;  and, 
e  extremely 

soon  after, 

leven  inches 
}unds  and  a 
!h  composed 
three  inches 

brown,  and 
fie  eye  is  an 
lird  has  tlie 
re  two  loose, 

of  the  neck 
led  with  air, 
ange;  chin, 
own ;  jwhole 
brown,  and 
rownish  soot 
irown,  white, 
o^vn,  marked 
airy  down  of 
3nt,  whitish; 
male  is  con- 
k  wings,  the 
nb  of  yellow 


I  I 


BLUiMiREEN  WARBLER. 


265 


l„r  h„J  .  ^  these  birds,  the  gizzard  was  found  extremely  muscu- 
ar,  having  ahnost  tlie  hardness  of  a  stone ;  the  heart  remarkably  large ; 
the  crop  waa  filled  with  brier  knots,  containing  the  larvro  of  some 
insect,  quantities  of  a  species  of  green  lichen,  small,  hard  seeds,  and 
some  grains  of  Indian  com.  "'u-,  auu 


BLUE-GREEN  WARBLER.  -  SYLVIA  RARA.  _  Fio.  125. 

Peale's  Museum,  No.  7788. 

VERMIVOIUI  RjiRj}. -JtKDitiii.* 

Sylvia  rara,  Bomp.  Synop.  p.  SSl.~Aud.  pi.  49,  malej  Om.  Biog.  i.  p.  268. 

«h^""  ?^\^'^T"'^^^^  T\  ™^  °^  "-^  «ort  I  have  yet  met  with,  was 
shot  on  the  banks  of  Cumberland  River,  about  the  beginning  of  April, 
and  the  drawing  made  with  care  immediately  after.  Whither  male 
or  female,  I  ani  uncertain.  It  is  one  of  those  birds  that  usually  glean 
among  the  high  branches  of  the  tallest  trees,  which  renders  it  difficult 
to  be  procured.  It  was  darting  about  with  great  nimbleness  among 
«ie  leaves,  and  appeared  to  have  many  oi  die  habits  of  the  Flycatcher. 
After  several  ineffectual  excursions  m  search  of  another  of  the  same 
kind,  with  which  I  might  compare  the  present,  I  am  obliged  to  intro- 
duce it  with  this  brief  account  -r  -1  I,  ""- 

The  specimen  has  been  deposited  in  Mr.  Peale's  museum. 

The  Blue-green  Warbler  is  fear  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  seven 
and  a  half  in  extent;  the  uppe-  parts  are  verditer,  tinged  with  pale 
green,  brightest  on  the  front  and  forehead ;  lores,  Uile  over  the  eye, 
throat,  and  whole  lower  parts,  very  pale  cream ;  chcoks,  slightly  tinned 
with  greenish ;  bill  and  legs,  bright  light  blue,  except  the  upper  man- 
dible, which  is  dusky ;  tail,  forked,  and,  as  well  as  the  wings,  brownish 
black ;  the  former  marked  on  the  three  exterior  vane^  with  white,  and 
edged  with  greenish;  the  latter  having  the  first  and  second  row  of 
coverts  tipped  with  white.    Note,  a  feeble  chirp. 

*  Tl'lf  species  was  discovered  by  \Viison,  and  does  not  seem  to  have  been  again 
met  with  by  any  ornithologist  except  Mr.  Audubon,  who  has  figured  it,  and  aided 
somewhat  to  our  knowledge  of  its  manners. 

. "  It  is  rare  in  the  middle  districts,  and  is  only  found  in  the  dark  recesses  of  the 
pmo  swamp.  On  its  passage  through  the  states,  it  appears  in  Louisiana,  in  April. 
They  are  met  with  .n  Kentucky,  in  Ohio,  upon  the  Missouri,  and  along  Lake  Erie  » 
„„,'i  li^!!"  A  Tu"!.'  f  *"  ^^%»^f-  In  spring  the  song  is  soft  and  mellow,  and 
not  heard  l>eyond  the  distance  of  a  few  paces  j  it  is  performed  at  intervals,  between 
the  times  at  which  the  bird  sectnres  an  insect,  which  it  does  with  great  expertness 
either  on  the  wing,  or  among  the  leaves  of  the  trees  and  bushes.  While  catchine 
It  on  iJie  wing,  it  produces  a  slight,  clicking  sound  with  its  bill,  like  Vireo.  It  also 
■  M  "^^'  ^^'*  *'"^!  '',e'""es,  particularly  towards  autumn,  when  insects  begin  to 
(ail.  1  here  seems  httle  difference  between  the  sexes.  Such  is  the  most  important 
information  given  byMr.  Audubon.  —  En. 


■  .jh 


aao 


NASHVILLE   WARBLER. 


NASHVILLE  WARBLER -SYLVIA  RUFICAPILLA.-F.0. 126 

Peale's  Museum,  No.  T789. 


Om.  Biog.  I.  p 


460. 


««toa  nf  this  little  bird  were  familiar  to  me 
much  resembled  the  breaking  ot  «nm U  dry  twig  ^  ^.^  ^^ 

«-"  pebbles  of  fjff-i-VbTheU^^^^^^  of  Uiirty  or 

seven  times,  and  ^oud  enouLn  v  ascertain  whether  the 

forty  yards.    It  was  some  time  betore  ^  discovered  the 

sound  proceeded  fjom  a  bird  or  an  msect^^A^  ^^^.^^  ^^^  ^^^ 

bird,  and  was  not  a  little  gratified  at  hncimg  ^  ^^^^ 

Kr&«Sk^rLrs  r  ^nS,"  s  -.o  ha^.  or ., 

family,  the  Worm-eaters.  j^  jj.  breadth,  seven 

The  length  of  this  species  is  *^?"^,f  ^J^' S,  ii„ht  ash,  a  little  in- 
inches;  the  upper  P-'^  of  the  hea^^^^^^^^ 

dining  to  olive ;  crown,  spotted  with  d^eP  ^n  ^..^.^     ^^^^^ 

a  pale  ye^owish  ring  ™^^^^^^^^  ^ck,  yellow  olive, 

except  the  middle  ol  the  bcuy,  ^"  1^"  .,  „^^^^  rich  yellow  olive ; 

eligh?l,  ''•f  *jf  ,t^,rr4e" .S'Seflaii  .ifghtl,, forked, 
wings,  nearly  black,  »™adiy  eageu  tapering  to  a 

rnt;7n.rdrk}an^w^S\S"^^^^^ 

.Wilson  discovered  0,1.  ^pecics^^^^^^^ 

ihe  United  Slates,  changed  ^^e JPec.fic  name  a    a^^^^  ^^^      ^^^  ^  ^/         ,^^^5. 

very  rare  ;  Wilson  saw  ""b  three '. Audubon    in    ^^  ^^^^^^^^^  kiUedTioppmg 

vidual  was  shot  by  the  overhand  a^ct>c^exped,i,o  ^^.^^  ,,^^  ^^ 

Sntof -a5  " xWae^i  SlS yef  seem  to  be^nown. -En. 


YELLOW-BILLED  CUCKOO. 


267 


)  last,  it  seems 


YELLOW-BILIED  CUCKOO.  _  CUCULUS    CAROUNENSW- 

Fio.  127. 

COCCrZVS  JIMRRlCJiWS.  -  Bo»A,,HT... 
Co.,.s  --'--S^'y^^^g-m  Ven„w-.„ea  Cue.., 

exat!„?„rS„:tar;rod^^^^^^^^^^  ^«  P"n«se  of 

the  month  of  May  or  June  w^il  snl^^l^T^  ^''^'i^''  ""^  ^"o^s  in 
borders  of  deepfrJtired  LTtLhpST  ii''^^'"'  "^  '^^  ^^^^^^^^  the 
80,mdornote,rrembHnj;thf;v£  T  ""?°»t'',  guttural 

ginning  Blowly,  but  eSfeoSlv  ^^t!^'"'^'''  *"'"'  *""'«' he- 
each  other ;  and  viveZTa-  he  wS  £'„  tl  f  »«*««  f  e«m  to  n,n  into 
able  to  discover  the  bXr-a^nillV^'^feS^^^^^^^^^^ 

Pro.  the  imitative  sound  of  i^^ttittCwt  inTnyTa^b^S 

and  the  same  division  wa  adoj  ed  by  vfoiHo  undPMho'  "'"  ^'■':-";!'  ""•""  C""*. 
|s  now  retained.  They  differ  Cn  Z  So^s"  htflJ  i"„  habi?  "^  ^"ir "^'  "'"*''' 
lar  nest,  and  rparin?  their  vountr  iVnpth  a^„.-,  ^  nabit,  —  building  a  reeu- 
presentandthe  folfowing,'whioL.re  bo  in^^rat  only  two  species,  SSr 

met  with  in  different  partTof  the  southern  eoSt^-     ^"""^  ''^^"^f"'  «P«-««  "« 

of  Wilfof  ^^t  r.n?;;Lion:  ^rthivST  '■"■'''"  ^han  confirming  the  account, 
again  to  a  warmerfatitudf  °hev  aoSa?  ,^'h^^^  '"°'*'  ""f'^ '  **"'  ^^*'"  '^•""vinff 
in  loose  flocks.  '     *^  ''PP*''''  '"  ^'^  gregarious,  flymg  high  in  the  air,  ani 

thoTe'XTapVroalfll'feLrrt^'thcl^^^^^^^  'f^""'  "•""  '»'«  '™«  '^-"oos,  or 
though  oAenlSCndnearS^and    „7id,vc|oS'^^^^^  They,  agiin,      , 

and  extensive  heaths  or  commonr  stuc'ded  n;  f  nt  /^  w^^^^^^^^  f"'"'  "'"»?«'> 

they  may  expect  an  abundant  sunnlv  of  .ho  f  .  ^"^  """"  ^""'''  ""^^  '""'est :  hVre 
gliding  and  turning  motion  XnXm.  in  a  tlii/k^rr''"''"'  '"•  t^«'^  .V«"ng.  The 
lie  American  Coccyz,is.  LTke  them  ^also  S^v  n'ri'""'^"'  "  ''?"*'  •'*"'«'  °f 
when  obliged  to  be  near  it  S  o^inrll  h"  "l  ^.  '•''^""i  ""  "'«'  ^^^''-'d  i  but, 
for  a  con^derable  t"me  swr„ggou^d  their  bodv  T''  ""^'^  ."^S^  "'"  '•°»"'">« 
with  lowered  wings  and  e xSedTi  p„  1  ,,?.  ^- "  ^  fa"»;r  ludicrous  manner. 
«ound,resemblingL*2«eo7ou?Ame;icarbird;-"^  '  '''••'"  '"-' ™"'«>to»ou,' 
Turning  round  and  round  with  culty-eno. 

t?m'u"o"t,a;^re1r°fou?tSe  '^"V'  '^'^'i''  '"^^  """  ^  '"•or., 

ing  the  early  part  oflncubntL  ^^1.?^  ^^^  'u"  i'  ""'-^  ""  '^^'^  ^^^  a^ival,  dur- 
an^d  welcom^e'^otel  hiXS  firr„Ml°'^.f^  ""'''  well-k'nown 

Common  Cuckoo  destroys  eg^^Jd  5o^^  bS  "-lu^t^f    ^'"'  '"^^'^  "'^'  *• 
also  entertalnoH  =  T  h-"-  """-  -^-  ??""S^,'"'d«'''''e  he  American  Coccvztu.  i. 


268 


YELLOW-BILLED  CUCivOO. 


c  u    ^.      uird-  it  is  also  called  in  Virginia  the  Rain  CVw, 
of  the  Cow  Ihrd,  it  «^'"       immediately  before  rain. 
Bo-g  observed  to  be  mos  ^l^^^^^^;' "from  the  south,  about  the 
ll^iB  species  arrives  »»  P^"^^^^"^^^^^ 

twenty-second  of  AP"!.;"^^  ChTckSaw  and'chactaw  nations; 
Lake  Ontario;  u  ""'"^^"VnartB  of  Georgia ;  preferring,  in  all  these 
and  also  breeds  in  the  XW^^wamps  anl  apple  orch  A  It  leaves 
places,  the  borders  of  «o''J'7h^,7Srmiddle  of  September. 
Sb,  on  its  return  ««"^Tn  '  nav  uniatu^  -  condu^^  of  the  European 
The  singular-I  will  ""J  ^^XV^V  constructs  a  nest  for  itself, 
CncVoo,(ducvlu,  f«"?2lf oTher  Sb,  an^  abandons  them  to  their 
but  drops  its  eggs  in  ^f  ^^''^  °^„^_YverBall^  known,  and  so  proverbial, 
mercy  and  management,  is  f  ""'^"' bj'gon.e  inconsiderate  people, 
Sat  the  whole  tnbe  of  Cuckoos  have  by  s^^^^^^  ^^^^  J 

^e-  '*^g-l\^±r.otCS  for  tWs  r'emarkable  habit  of  the  Eur- 


mitt  me  w""'^  ". ,  ".;,„j.   nf  oU   parental  care  *""  »•"•— — 

l«en  rtigmaUJ"!  a.  ''=""'»'!  ."^hij^markable  habit  of  the  Eunj 
Without  attomptine  to  account  lor  tw.  ^^^^^  ^^  »„dom  of 

Min  species  fflr  leffl  to  ^ornidei  m  aner   ^  ^.^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^,, 


r-:^sXSq?r'f  e!|hJ/me_^P-^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^,.„, 

a„r.L"t«s»ro?irfJX="S 

building.  The  nest  18  ^'^^^y^^^Z^^^^  crab,  or  cedar,  in  some 
an  apple-tree ;  sometimes  m  -^  ^"^^''^^i^^^  with  little  art,  and 
retired  part  of  the  woods.  ^  " /' -X  '^^a  twigs,  intermixed  with 
scarcely  any  concavity,  "^  «X  common  maple.  On  this  almost  fl^^ 
green  weeds,  and  blossom"^  °*^*^^,.r  ^J  nuXr,  are  placed;  those  are 
E,  the  eggs,  usually  three  ojtourji  j^^^^^^^  J,oFrtior»able  to  that 
of  a  uniform  gf««f  ^^^Li^  'sSing,  the  male  is  generally  not  far 
of  the  bird.  While  the  f"^?Jj  ^"/^^^ef  \vhen  any  person  is  approach- 
distant,  and  gives  the  „^\"'"| Jj, ^^^^  yo^^  ^  ^^l^,,  .each  >er  with 
ing.    The  female  sits  so  c\os^^' tnai  yo         j  feigmng  lame- 

your  hand,  and  then  Precipitates  hereelf  to  the  g         .^.^  ^j^^^  ^. 

Lss,to  draw  you  ^^^y  ^^""^^J^'^fTe  V^rinA^^:  y^ff^^^^^ 

and  tumbling  over,  m    the   inanne^  oi         i„     ovidTng  food  for  the 

and  many  other  species.    Both  P^r«jW  ""       caterpillars,  particularly 

•  young.    This  consists,  for  *«  "^^^/f^'^e^.tfl  constitute  the  chief  part 

Lch^as  infest  apple-trees.    Th«^a«^e  ^^^^^^  ^^  .^^^  ^^^^  ^^  ^f 

of  their  own  sustenance,    ^hey  are  a^c^u      ,  ^^  ^^^^  j  ^ 

sucking  the  eggs  of  other  birds    lik^^^^^^^^  ^f  berries. 

other  pillagers.    They  °J««  °","/,  ^^^^^^^^  ,„ch  numbers  of  %very  noxious 

fa^WFO^errel^ef  ttr^^^  of  the  farmer,  and  are  highly 

deserving  of  his  protection.  j^      ^^        ^nd  sixteen 

The  fellow-b.lled   C«ckoo   i^  ^^jj^^^^^  ^  ^^k  glo^ 
inches  in  extent;  ^^  ^^ole  upper  parte  are  reflections; 

what  is  usually  called  a  Quaker  ^^^^^^^^^  gner  vanes  of  thewmgs, 

from  this  must,  however,  be  e^cepwu  composed  of  ten 

wh'ch  are  bright  redd-h  cinna^o"  '^^^e  same  color  as  tEe  back ;  Uie 
feathers,  the^twomiddl^eo^^^^^^^^  exterior  ones,  are  black  larg^J 

SP'  S  wSiteT"tiie  two  outer  ones  are  scarcely  hau  Ji.  .ength 


-J| 


DLACK-ltlLLEU  CUCKCK). 


269 


the  middle  ones.  The  whole  lower  parts  are  pure  whito ;  the  Fcathen 
coverinff  the  thiffhs  being  large,  liki?  those  of  tlie  Hawk  tribe ;  the 
legs  and  feet  are  11  rht  blue,  the  toes  placed  two  before  and  two  behind, 
as  in  th;!  rest  of  the  genus.  The  bill  is  long,  a  littlo  bent,  very  broad 
at  the  base,  dusky  black  above,  and  yellow  below;  the  eye  hazel, 
leathered  close  to  the  eyelid,  which  is  yellow.  The  female  dittbra 
little  from  the  male ;  the  four  middle  tail-feathers  in  her  are  of  the 
same  uniform  drab  ;  and  the  white,  with  which  the  otliers  are  tipped, 
not  so  pun;  as  in  the  male. 

In  examining  tJiis  bird  by  dissection,  the  inner  membrane  of  tho 
gizzard,  which  m  many  other  species  is  so  hard  and  muscular,  in  this 
in  extremely  lax  and  Hoft,  capable  of  great  distention;  and,  what  is 
remarkable,  is  covered  with  a  growth  of  fine  down,  or  hair,  of  a  light 
fawn  color.  It  is  difficult  to  ascertain  the  particular  purpose  which 
nature  intends  by  tliis  excrescence ;  perhaps  it  may  serve  to  shield  tlie 
tender  parts  from  the  irritating  effects  produced  by  the  hairs  of  certain 
caterpillars,  some  of  which  are  said  to  be  almost  equal  to  the  sting  of 
a  nettle. 


m 


BLACK-BILLED  CUCKOO. —CUCULUS  ERYTHROPTHALMA. 

—  Fio.  128. 

PeaU's  Muieim,  No.  18fi4. 

COCCrzUS  ERYTlIROPriIALMUS.  —  BotiArA».Tm.* 

Coccyzus  erythropthalmus,  Bonap.    Synop.  p.  42.  —  The  Black-billed  Cuckoo, 
Aua.  pi.  32,  male  and  feiiiale  ;  Orn.  Biog.  i.  p.  170. 

This  Cuckoo  is  nearly  as  numerous  as  the  former,  but  has  hitherto 
escaped  tlie  notice  of  European  naturalists;  or,  from  its  general 
resemblance,  has  been  confounded  with  the  preceding.  Its  par- 
ticular markings,  however,  and  some  of  its  habits,  sufficiently  cliar- 
acterize  it  as  a  distinct  species.  Its  general  color  above  is  nearly 
that  of  the  former,  inclining  more  to  a  pale  ash  on  the  cheeks  and 
front ;  it  is  about  nn  inch  less  in  length  ;  the  tail  is  of  a  uniform  dark 
silky  drab,  except  at  the  tip,  where  each  feather  is  marked  with  a  spot 
of  white,  bordered  above  with  a  slight  touch  of  dull  black;  the  bill 
is  wholly  black,  and  much  smaller  than  that  of  the  preceding;  and  it 
wants  the  briglit  cinnamon  on  thi;  wings.  But  what  constitutes  its 
most  distinguishing  trait  is,  a  bare,  wrinkled  skin,  of  a  deep  red 
color,  that  wurrounds  tlie  eye.  The  female  differs  little  in  external 
appearance  from  the  male. 

The  Black-billed  Cuckoo  is  particularly  fond  of  the  sides  of  creeks, 

*  Wilson,  I  believe,  deserves  liii;  creilil  of  distinguishing  this  species.  It  is 
riosely  allied  to,  hut  differs  widely,  both  in  its  habils  ami  feeding,  from  its  conge- 
ners and  the  true  ( 'uckoos.  In  addjiiou  to  shells  and  water  insects,  Audubon  men- 
tions  having  fiHind  in  their  stomachs  a  small  black  frog,  which  appears  after  a 


aununer  shower.  - 


Eo. 
23* 


m^'^1 


370 


BLUE  YELLOW-BACK   WARBLER. 


{MIM  on  wnall  Bholl-fish,  smWn,  Slc.  I  havo  alno  often  found 
bSSpiice.    .f  oyHlnr  8liell8  u    iu.  g.zzard,  winch,  Uko  that  of  tho 

^%^rsr:ru:''-i^^St'^^^^^^  bum  in  a  cedar  njuch 
m  IhenZe  mannor.  ...1  of  nearly  tho  Hanie  .natcrialH,  aa  that  of  tl.c 
rther ;  but  thoepgB  ur.  nnmller,  uaually  four  or  fivo  .  :  numbrr,  and  ot 

^  '^^i^  fiKSS  in  the  Bta^  of  Ooc^a^  a^  ^^  nc. 
eBcaped  the  -ticu  of  Mr.  Abbot,  who  la  aatiBhod  of  its  being  a 
distinct  apecie^  from  the  preceding. 


BLUE   YELLOW-BACK   W MIDLER. -SYLVIA   PUSILLA.- 

Fio.  129. 

Pan..  Americans,  Unn.  8y^.  ^Jl^-^'^.'S'^'lS^SaS  Va,l;;;i:ciiJS 

SYIVICQI^   ^.UEfl/Cj«A0».-8w»iRioN.» 

Sylvia  Americana    /.«y«^.;Vj..,i.^^^.^^^^^^^^ 

r£.-Ti.e'K  Y±w4S.^^  Aud.  pi.  15,  male  and  female; 

6m.  Biog.  i.  p.  78. 

NoTwiTHHTANDmo  the  re.pectubility  "^  ^ho  above  authorities.  I 
must  continue  to  consider  thJB  bird  as  a  species  of  Warbler,  its 
rbits  indeuL  partake  sometliinfr  of  the  Titmouse ;  but  Uie  form  of 
hf  Mil  is  decidedly  thnt  of  tho  %,lvia  genus.  It  is  remarkable  for 
fKHiuentincr  Uie  tops  of  the  tallest  tree.,  where  it  teeds  on  the  Bmall 
Sd  insects  aid  caterpillars  that  infest  the  young  leaves  and 
blolom^  Tthas  a  few,  feeble,  cherupin?  note.,  scarcely  loud  enough 
to  be  T^eard  at  the  fo<  t  of  the  tree.  It  visits  PennBylvania  from 
Ses^uth  early  in  May ;,  is  verv  abundant  in  ^e  -f «  f  Kcnti^cky  ; 
and  is  al>«o  found  m  the  northern  parts  of  the  state  ot  JNew  YorK. 
It«  iipat  1  have  never  yet  met  with,  t  ,    .    .     ■  j 

ThS  little  species  is  four  inches  and  a  half  lone,  and  six  inches  and 
a  haSn  b  ead^th ;  the  front,  and  between  the  bilf  and  eyes,  is  black ; 
Sie  upier  part  of  the  head  and  neck,  a  fine  Prussian  blue ;  upper  part 
of  the  Tack,  brownish  yellow ;  lower,  and  rump,  pale  blue ;  wings  and 

j{  of  names.  That  of  Avteri- 
I'KjIlalion  firs     \p   '.ed;  and 

thinks'lwo  broods  are  raised  m  the  year.  — Ed. 


•There  is  ii.>iliing  more  annoying  than  the  i  >'. 
rami   without  doubt,  seems  to  liavu  been  'M  ."j.t '  ' 
if  w<-'nre  to  adhere  to  any  given  rule  in    n..,  lu  ntum 


YELLOW  REIV-PO'       n  \ RULER. 


971 


toll,  black  ;  ll     fomicr  crossed  witl;  two  bam  of  white,  and  od^^lh' 

e™";irvvhi'.  '  Th*^  ""/'•"  '""'''  "'■''''  "*'  ^''•'  *'»'««  «tnSfeS 
ere  wiux  while    tt  ojTcuinatanco  coniinon  to  u  i/nuit  nun  btr  of  tha 

gunua;    Hmm.diately..l»,.vn  nnd  below  tho  oyo  Ih  a  ..nua  bjJh  of 

throat  and  hu^sU  rich  yellow,  .k-eponing  about  its  nu.ldle  U>  oranire 
rod,  and  inarkod  on  tl.o  tl.roat  with  a  suiall  (To.cent  of  black  on  tKe 
odjfo  of  tho  broa«t  .s  a  'ight  touch  of  rufous ;  bolly  and  vent,  whi  o^ 
leg.,  dark  brown;  feet,  (firty  voUow.  The  female  w.uy  both  Uio 
black  and  orange  on  the  tlirout  and  breast;  t'ie  blue  on  the  uuD«r 
parts  18  also  of  a  duller  tint  *^***" 


YELLOW    HED-POLL  WARBLER. -SYLVIA   PETECHIA- 

Fio.  130. 

Red-hca.led  Warbler,  Turton,  i.  G05.  -  Peaie;,  Museum,  No.  7|24. 
SYLyiCOrJI  PKTt:CHM.-BwA,„„H: 

Warbler,  Pern.  Arct.  Zool.  ...  p.  401.  _  Sylvicola  ff  rh"a,   NortLZ^f 

This  delicate  little  bird  arrives  in  Pennsylvani  early  in  April 
while  the  maples  are  yet  in  blossom,  among  the  bran  les  of  whicK  it 
may  generally  be  found  at  that  season,  feeding  on  the  tamina  of  the 
flowers,  and  .m  s.nall  w.ngod  insects.  Low,  swampy  t,  ickets  are  it^ 
favorite  places  of  resort  It  i.  not  numerous,  and  its  n-  res  are  undo- 
rr'l^li^''  """'*'  "^i'""^'-  J^'•emains  with  us  all  summ.r,  but  its  nest 
has  huTierto  escaped  me.  It  leaves  us  late  in  Septemb.  ;.  Some  of 
them  probably  winter  in  Georgia,  having  myself  shot  8e^  ral,  late  in 
February,  on  the  borders  of  the  Savannah  River. 
Length  of  the  Yellow  Red-Poll,  five  inches;  extent,  iight:   line 

Zf^!  ^^'''  ""'^  "tJ^l"  u '^ 'J  ^f^'  ""*^  y^"°^  5  breast,  St  rolked  with 
dull  red  upper  part  of  the  head,  reddish  chestnut,  which  t  loses  in 
wmter;  back,  yellow  olive,  streaked  with  dusky;  rump  and  tail- 
coverts,  greenish  yellow;  wings,  deep  blackish  brown,  exteriorly 
edged  with  ohve ;  tail,  slightly  forked,  and  of  the  same  co  >r  as  the 
win^B, 

1.  "^f  .J!^'""'"  ^^°^  the  red  cap,  and  the  yellow  of  the  low.  part  is 
Sinct         '         ^^^       ^  ^^'^  °"  ^®  ^^^'^^  '"^  ^^^"  ^^^^'  '^'^  ^^^ 


Hi 


•i  ? 


272 


lVOUY-niIJ.Ei:    .VOODPECKER. 


XVOaV-BILLED    WOCOPE^CKER^-PICUS    PRINCIPALIS.- 

P.eus  principalis.  L,,,n.  ^V-;,-^' S^^^J^^^.S^'^^P^ 

biluAl  Woodpecker,  Ca<e.*.  Car.  k  0    b-  ^^  ^^^ 

ii.  p.  653.  —  Bartram,  p.  ^»a'  —  ■^'=""= 


PICUS   fB/JVC/P./ii/S--Ln»«*"'* 


.  The  .onus  I'icu.,  or  Woodpeckers,  -Uh  U.  c.cejnion  of  the  ^^o^^J^ 
the  i  -Extensive  ^roup  a,u..ag  ^'^^^^  ,0"  ,  fcrnt'erol  race.  In  a  .orrner 
ral  amoiitr  the  numerous  divisions  now  '^^'''K  .*_'"/,;,,.,  nioditicalion  ol  habit, 
note  we  nutilio,..!  the  [>i'V<--'^«  °  '""'^i^.^o  i  ho  ojll  have  divided  them  nUo 
that  nevertheless  cxiste.l  among  them.  ,  >;  "^^.^'^yoodpeckers  for  the  type,  making 
Kree  groups  only,  laking.the  ':"»'r»„5  ^'^1,"^  ^>^^"a    l.ird  the  very  n>in"t« /P«J'^* 

nodicr  of  the  Coldcn-wmged,  ami  '""^  ^'"f, /"..id,    i  believe,  will  be  found  to 

il^eh  form  Temminck's  .K'^""^/''-T'";Vr  sUiS  in  following  out  the 

^a  l<  in  a  family  s"'''ew'>at  d'A^-r^' •    J   :i'^,^°„f,K'h,i,%eings,  has  formed  five 

vtews  which   he  holds  regarding  the  ^'f'    "^^  "J,,^'^,^  the  title  i't'c"^  /  H'^tol  the 
r^:;s,_takingourprese.U    ormastjpu^^^ 

^,reen  Woodpecker,  iinder  (7  My.opW«s^^^u^  Ma/aeoW-w^,   as  the  SoR- 

Melam-n,cs  ;  the  Go  den-W  n,gs,  as  ^"^^f^^   .  ii,„  no„fcrn  parts  ot  Amor 

pecker  developed  to  the  utmost.  distributed  over  the  whole  world,  New 

The  Pici  are  very  numerous,  and  ar.    iisu  "i  continents,  may  be  termed 

Holland  excepted-,  Anterica    howevc  ,  h.  1^^^^^^^  afford  abundance  to  sal- 

the  land  of  vVoodpcckers.     "«; J^^f^'  '^Xjed  retirement  from  the  inroads  of  c.  It^ 
isfv  their  various  wants,  and  ""  ''''//X  and  her  islands  are  best  stored  ;  then, 
valion.    Next  in  n.unher,  1  '',<,"!   :'f'X^,  "however,  are  always  greatest  between 
Africa-,  and  lastly,  Europe.    .1  h<  '"""''"^Q^  f^^^  and  approach  temperate  or 
d.e  tropics,  and  generally  <''7;"'^''  ^  i.^^'.^'^^'fa  few  species  only  feed  occasionally 
cold  regions.    They  are  mostly  ^  '  °irs^o,,w.ra,  that  form  their  abodes  u 
on  different  fruits  and  berr.es.  ,|''^,.^;*,'°,'^ir  bark  and  moss,  with  their  eggs  and 
dead  and  decaying  ''">''«^.«f '™n lei    sXstence.    For  securing  this  prey 
laifre  larvw,  form  an  essential  part  ot  "*'V",  ,i,„nectiiiar  mode  of  Wo  incident 
hjjng     out  from  their  burrows  in  ^ '«  «^""J; ;\'^J  "'X  bill  is  strong  and  wedge- 
Self  pursuits,  they  are  most  '^I^.^^S^J.^' 'he  tongue. -fitted  by  the  cun- 
shaped     the  neck  t.ossesses  g  ea  m    adar  ty      »   ^^^^^^  l,^,n,^,oA  with  a  viscous 
ons  construction  of  its  '""^'•,'^^  j^' j^^'t/Th.  weaker  prey,  or  with  l?reat  force 
s-diva  cither  gently  to  seci  rt  diKl  <iravv  '•  •■'  ,    '  n,,,^,  mmole  m- 

i;?;;Hiiy  'v'-(-';  -r'd:;:;d1;o::ki::i:  Saild'ciaws,  with  the  stiA,  bem 

^l^^^^^^  ^^^^^r"r^^  SJSt  season  of  incibation ;  or 
All  the  si^cies  are  s..^;|ary^J^-n  pairs  ^ ^^^^^,^  ;„  ,be  end  of  auU^mj, 

^rSri^'S^ai'  'Tl^sohtary  habit,  ard  their  hauttts  bcm,  generally 


I  ) 


IVORY-CILLED   WOODPECKER. 


273 


Beems  to  have  designed  him  a  distinguished  clmractoristic  in  tiie  su- 
perb  carmine  crest  and  bill  of  polished  ivory  witli  wiuch  she  has 
ornaiueiitod  him.  His  eye  is  brilliunt  and  dariii<r ;  and  his  wliole 
traiiie  so  admirably  adapted  for  Jiis  mode  of  life  and  metliod  of  procur- 
ing Bubsidtence,  as  to  impress  on  tiie  mind  of  the  examiner  the  most 
reverential  ideas  of  the  Creator.  His  manners  have  also  a  dignity  in 
them  superior  to  the  common  herd  of  Woodpeckers.  Trees,  shrub- 
bery,  orcliards,  rails>  fence-posts,  and  old,  proatrato  logs,  are  alike 
interesting  to  those,  in  their  humble  and  indeiati!:a!)le  search  for  prey : 
but  the  royal  hunter  now  before  i-s  scorns  the  hinnility  of  such  situa- 
tions, and  seeks  the  most  towering  trees  of  the  forests  ;  seemino-  par- 
ticularly attached  to  tliose  prodigious  cypress  swaiaps,  whoso  crowded 
giant  sons  stretch  tlieir  bare  and  bku^ted  or  inoss-Jiung  arms  midway 
to  the  skies.  In  these  almost  inaccessible  recesses,  amid  ruinous  piles 
ot  iinponding  timber,  his  truinpet-like  note  and  loud  strokes  resound 
tlii-oiigh  tiie  solitary,  savage  wilds,  of  which  he  socais  the  sole  lord  and 
inhabitant.  WTierever  he  frequents,  he  leaves  numerous  monumenta 
ot  ins  industry  behind  him.  We  there  see  enormous  pine-trees,  with 
cartloads  of  bark  lying  around  their  roots,  and  chijjs  of  the  trunk  itself 
m  sucii  quantities  as  to  suggest  the  idea  that  half  a  dozen  of  ax(>-men 
had  been  at  work  there  for  the  whole  morning.  The  body  of  tlie  tree 
IS  tilso  disfigured  with  such  numerous  and  so  large  excavations,  that 
one  can  hardly  conceive  it  possible  for  the  wiiole  to  be  tlie  work  of  a 
Woodpecker.  Witli  such  strength,  and  an  apjiaratus  so  ijowerful, 
what  havock  might  he  not  commit,  if  numerous,  on  the  most  useful  of 
our  forest-trees !    And  yet,  with  all  tlieso  appearances,  and  much  of 


gloomy  and  retired,  has  given  rise  to  the  opinion,  cnlertaineil  l.v  many,  thai  tlie  life 
ot  the  Woodpecker  was  hard  and  laborious,  dragged  on  in  the  same  unvaric.i  tract 
for  one  purpose,  —  the  supply  of  food.  It  lias  been  painted  in  vivi.l  and  inii.ginary 
CO  onng,  and  its  existence  1ms  been  described  to  be  painful  and  burdensome  in  the 
extreme;  its  cries  have  been  convened  into  cr.n.plaiiUs,and  its  search  for  food  into 
exertions  of  no  use  We  cainn.l  agree  to  iliis.  The  cry  of  the  Woo.lpecker  is 
wild,  and  no  douln  the  mcessanl  hewing  of  holes,  without  an  adequate  object  ,vould 
be  suiricienlly  miserable.  These,  however,  are  the  pleasures  of  the  bird  The 
knowledge  to  search  after  food  is  implanted  in  it.  and  organs  most  a.lmirably 
lonned  to  nrcvent  exhaustion  and  insure  success,  have  been  .^ranted  to  it  Its 
cries,  though  melancholy  lo  us,  are  so  from  association  willi  the  di.il;  forests  and 
the  stillness  which  surrounds  their  haunts,  but  perhaps,  ai  the  lime  >\lien  we  iiid«. 
are  exnressiye  of  the  greatest  enjoyment.  An  answer  of  kin.lness  in  reply  to  a 
mate,  the  calling  together  of  the  newly-fledged  brood,  or  oxiiltaiion  over  the  dis- 
covery ot  some  favorite  hoard  of  food,  are  what  are  set  down  as  painful  and 
discontented.  "^ 

Mr  Audubon's  remarks  on  this  splendid  species,  "  the  King  of  tlie  Woodpeck- 
ers, I  have  transcribed  at  some  length,  as  indicating  the  particular  manner  of  the 
typical  family  of  this  great  group  :  — 

"The  Ivory-billcd  Woodpecker  confines  its  rambles  lo  a  comparativelyverv 
small  portion  of  the  United  States,  it  never  having  been  observe.!  in  the  Middle 
Stat.s  Within  the  inc::iorvof  any  person  now  living  there.    In  fact,  in  no  portion 

habilT'^  ""'"'**  °'"  ^'"'  *^°"^^  "PP^'"""  '*'"''''''<'  I"  ■'»  remilrkable 

"  De.fccnding  the  Ohio,  we  meet  with  this  splendid  bird  for  the  first  time  near  the 
coniliieiice  of  that  beautiful  river  and  the  Mississippi ;  ai.er  which,  following  the  wind- 
ings of  the  latter,  either  downwards  toward  the  sea,  or  upwards  in  the  direction  of  the 
Missouri,  we  frequently  observe  it.  On  the  Atlantic  coast.  North  Carolina  may  be 
taken  as  the  limit  of  its  distributio.-j,  altUojgh  now  and  then  aii  mdividua!  of  the  spe- 


9l 


274 


IVORY-BILLED  WOODPECKER. 


vulgar  prejudice  against  him,  it  may  fairly  be  questioned  whether  he 
is  at  all  injurious ;  or,  at  least,  whether  his  exertions  do  not  contribute 
most  powerfully  to  the  protection  of  our  timber.    Examme  closely  the 
tree  where  he  has  been  at  work,  and  you  will  soon  perceive  that  it  is 
neither  from  motives  of  mischief  nor  amusement  that  he  slices  off  the 
bark,  or  digs  his  way  into  the  trunk;  for  the  sound  and  healthy  tree 
is  the  least  object  of  his  attention.    The  diseased,  infested  with  in- 
sects, and  hastening  to  putrefaction,  are  his  favorites ;  there  the  deadly, 
crawling  enemy  have  formed  a  lodgment  between  the  bark  and  ten- 
der wood,  to  drink  up  the  very  vital  part  of  the  tree.    It  is  the  ravages 
of  these  vermin,  which  the  intelligent  proprietor  ol^the  forest  deplores 
as  the  sole  perpetrators  of  the  destruction  of  his  timber.     Would  it  be 
believed  tliat  the  larvE  of  au  insect,  or  fly,  no  larger  than  a  grain  of 
rice,  should  silently,  and  in  one  season,  destroy  some  thousand  acres 
of  pine-trees,  many  of  them  from  two  to  three  feet  in  diameter,  and  a 
hundred  and  fifty  feet  high  ?    Yet  whoever  passes  along  the  high  road 
from  Georgetown  to  Charleston,  in  South  Carolina,  al^ut  twenty  miles 
from  the  former  place,  can  have  striking  and  melancholy  proofs  of  this 
fact     In  some  places,  the  whole  woods,  as  far  as  you  can  see  around 
you,  are  dead,  stripped  of  the  bark,  their  wintry-looking  arms  and  bare 
trunks  bleaching  in  the  sun,  and  tumbling  in  ruins  before  every  blast, 
presenting  a  frightful  picture  of  desolation.    And  yet  ignorance  and 
preiudice°stubbornly  persist  in  directing  their  indignalioi:  against  the 
bird  now  before  us,  the  constant  and  mortal  enemy  of  tliese  very  ver- 
min ;  as  if  the  hand  that  probed  the  wound  to  ext;a(;t  its  cause,  should 
be  equally  detested  with  that  which  mflicted  it ;  or  as  if  the  thief- 

cies  may  l)e  accidentally  seen  in  Maryland.  To  the  westward  of  the  Mississippi,  it  is 
found  in  all  the  dense  forejts  bordering  the  streams  which  empty  then  waters  into  that 
majestic  river,  from  the  very  declivities  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  lower  pitrts 
of  the  Carolinas.  Georgia.  Alabama,  Louisiana,  and  Mississippi,  are,  however,  the 
most  favorite  resorts  of  this  bird,  and  in  those  states  it  constantly  resides,  breeds, 
and  passes  a  life  of  peaceful  enjoyment,  finding  a  profusion  of  food  in  all  the  deep, 
dark,  and  gloomy  swamps  dispersed  throughout  them. 

"  The  (light  of  this  bird  is  graceful  in  the  extreme,  although  seldom  prolonged  to 
more  than  a  few  liundred  yards  at  a  time,  unless  when  it  has  to  cross  a  large  river, 
which  it  does  in  deep  undulations,  opening  its  wings  at  first  to  their  lull  exienl.  and 
nearly  ciosiii';  thoin  to  rcMiew  the  propelling  impulse.  The  transit  from  oni"  tree  to 
another,  even  should  the  distance  be  as  much  as  a  hundred  yards,  is  perlornied  by 
a  siu'de  sweep,  and  the  bird  appears  as  if  merely  swinging  itself  from  ilio  top  of  the 
one  tree  to  tiiat  of  the  other,  forming  an  elegantly  curved  line.  At  this  inomcnl,  all 
the  beauly  of  the  plumage  is  exhibited,  and  strikes  the  beholder  willi  picnsiiro.  It 
never  utters  aiiv  sound  wiiilst  on  wing,  unless  during  the  love  season;  but,  at  a  I 
oth<'r  times,  no'  sooner  has  this  bird  alighted  than  its  remarkable  voice  is  heard, 
at  almo^l  everv  leap  wliicli  it  makes,  whilst  ascending  against  the  upper  jjarls  of 
the  trim!;  of  a  tree  or  its  highest  branches.  Its  notes  are  clear,  loud,  and  yet  very 
plaintive  ;  tliey  are  heard  at  a  considerable  distance,  perhaps  half  a  mile,  and  re- 
semble the  false  high  note  of  a  clarionet.  They  are  usually  repeated  three  linics 
in  succession,  and  may  lie  represented  by  the  monosyllable  pail,  pait.  pait.  1  licsc 
are  heard  so  frequently  as  to  induce  me  to  say  that  the  bird  spends  few  minutes  of 
the  (lay  without  uttering  them  ;  and  this  circumstance  leads  to  Us  destruction, 
which  IS  aimed  at,  not  because  (as  is  supposed  by  some)  this  species  is  a  destroyer 
of  trees,  but  more  because  it  is  a  beautiful  bird,  and  its  rich  scalp  attached  to  the 
upper  inaiidil)le  forms  an  ornament  for  the  war-dress  of  most  of  our  rndiniis,  or  for 
the  shot-pouch  of  our  squatters  and  hunters,  by  all  of  whom  the  bird  is  shot  merely 
for  that  purpose."  — Ed. 


IVORY-BILLED   WOODPECKER. 


275 


catcher  should  be  confounded  with  the  thief.    Until  some  effectual 

f^nlf/T  '"'•"'"'"^  ""•"P'^^^  ™°de  of  destruction,  can  be  devLed 
against  th'|«e  insects  and  their  larv^,  I  would  humbly  suLest  the 
p  opnety  ot  protecting,  and  receiving, 'with  proper  feelings  ^ftaU^ 
tude,  the  services  of  Siis  and  the  whole  tribe  of  WoodpeclersleS 
the  odium  of  guilt  fall  upon  its  proper  owners.  "P'^^'^^rs,  letting 

i„/h,o     r^r^'f  *]}e  accounts  given  of  the  Ivory-billed  Woodpecker 
&ev  TMe:Sf  ?rP°'  ^  ^f  ''  ""'"'''^  *hat  it  inhabits  froiSS 
seen  to    he  Sh"    /  v'^'^'^'  ^"T^^*-'  ^^at  few  of  them  are  ever 
JZ     T.     fi    ^^  ""^  Virginia,  and  very  few  of  them  even  in  that 
state     The  first  place  I  observed  this  bird  at,  when  on  my  way  to  the 
south  was  about  twelve  miles  north  of  Wilmington  in  N^th  CaroUna! 
It       Tr  "?•  ?^  ^'"^  /'■°'"  ''^^^  the  draling  of  Fig.  131  was 
taken.    This  bird  was  only  wounded  slightly  in  the  wing,  f  nd  on  be 
ing  caught,  uttered  a  loudly  reiterated  and  most  piteous^iote  exactly 
resembling  the  violent  crying  of  a  young  child"  which  terrfied  my 
ho  so  so,  as  nearly  to  have  cost  me  mytife.     l[  was  distressing  tJ 
hear  ,t    I  carried  ,t  with  me  in  the  chair,  under  cover,  to  Wilmhig! 
In    J"  P^f"?  through  the  streets,  its  affecting  cries  surprised  eve^ 
one  within  hearing  particularly  the  females,  who  hurried  to  the  S 
and  windows  with  looks  of  alarm  and  anxiety.    I  drove  onVand?  on 
arriving  at  the  piazza  of  the  hotel,  where  I  intended  to  pu  up,  the 
andlord  came  forward,  and  a  number  of  other  pereons  who  happened 
0  be  'here  all  equally  alarmed  at  what  they  heard  ;  this  was  gfeatly 
increased  by  my  asking,  whether  he  could  furnish  me  with  accommo- 
dations for  myself  and  my  babv.    The  man  looked  blank  and  foolish 
while  the  others  stared  with  stilf  greater  astonishment.    After  diverting 
myself  for  a  minute  or  two  at  their  expense,  I  drew  my  Woodpecker 
f  om  under  the  cover,  and  a  general  laugh  took  place.    I  took  him  up 
stairb,  and  locked  him  up  in  my  room,  while  I  went  to  see  my  horse 
taken  care  of.    In  less  than  an  hour,  I  returned,  and,  on  opening  the 
door,  he  set  up  the  same  distressing  shout,  which  now  appeared  to 
proceed  from  grief  that  he  had    been  discovered  in  his  attempts  at 
escape.     He  had  mounted  along  the  side  of  the  window,  nearly  as 
high  as  the  ceiling,  a  little  below  which  he  had  begun  to  break  through 
1  he  bed  was  covered  with  large  pieces  of  plaster;  the  lath  was  Ex- 
posed tor  at  least  fifteen  inches  square,  and  a  hole,  large  enough  to 
admit  the  fist,  opened  to  the  weather-boards ;  so  that,  in  less  than  an- 
other hour,  he  would  certainly  have  succeeded  in  makino-  his  wav 
through.     I  now  tied  a  string  round  his  leg,  and,  fastening  it  to  the  ta- 
ble, again  left  him      I  wi.hed  to  preserve  his  life,  and  had  gone  off  in 
search  of  suitable  f;)od  for  him.     As  I  reascended  the  stafrs,  I  heard 
Jiim  a<rain  hard  at  work,  and  on  entering  had  the  mortification  to  per- 
ceive that  ho  had  almost  entirely  mined  the  mahogany  table  to  wliich 
lie  was  fastened,  and  on  which  he  had  wreaked  his  whole  vent^eance 
While  engagnd  in  taking  the  drawing,  ho  cut  me  severely  in^several 
places,  and    on  the  whole,  displayed  such  a  noble  and  unconquerable 
spirit,  that  I  was  frequently  tempted  to  restore  him  to  his  native  woods. 
He  lived  with  me  nearly  three  days,  but  refused  all  sustenance,  and 
1  witnessed  his  death  with  regret. 

The  head  and  bill  of  this  bTrd  is  in  great  esteem   among  tlie  south- 
ern Indians,  who  wear  them  by  way  of  amulet  or  charm,  as  well  as 


276  IVORY-BILLED  WOOr  PECKER. 

.«♦.  -nrl   it  13  said    dispose  of  them  to  the  northern  tribes  at 
ornament ;  and,  it  is  said,  J  sP  ^^^  ^^^^^  ^^ 

considerable  prices.    An  1"^"^"  "'''r;  _,„„.„-  ^\\  the  virtuns  or  oxcel- 
feathers  ot'  certain  b.rds.  confer    nth^^^^^^^  ^,^  ,,,,3^ 

lences  «f  f  ^^I^J'^tthrRaven;  caps  stuck  round  with  heads  of 

TtS  StLtion,  ^^^^^:^:^SZ'^es  .here  it  in- 
This  bird  18  not  migratory,  but  resident  nm  prefers  the 

habits.  In  the  low  countries  of  the  Cardinas  it  "^uai  y  p^^  ^^.  ^^^^ 
large-timbered  cypress  swamps  for  breedinj,  in.     1  ^j^^^_ 

of  these  trees,  at  a  '^""^•^"^Jl^^.J'^Sl  ^^^^^^^  cavity  for 

nately,  and  "'^-J^f '^^.^  f  ^s  dug  out  JaJe  frequently  been  cut 
their  eggs  and  young.  ,^'^'=*^^  „„^  °  _„  :„  »hcm.  This  hole,  ac- 
down,  with  son.etin.es  the  eggs  ^"^  young  .nth^m.^^^  „yself,-is 
cording  to  information,  — for  ^  J^^^  "V^'  ^ut  the  weather,  and 
generally  a  little  w.nd.ng,  the  better  t«/3  °X  generally  four, 
Lm  two  to  five  feet  deep    ^^^If.^^^^  -^  «  „,  ,«q,,ny  tJlick  at 

once  in  the  same  season  is  uncertain. 

.1-  „   «,o    kilmsal>io  "-iven  by  Audubon.     Wilson 

of  its  tribe.    I  Lave  observe.!  .t  bormg  a    o  c  K,r  n     pj^^  ^  ^.^.^  ^^^^_  „^ 

March.    The  hole  .s,  1  bcheve  al«ay.     w  d     "  ^.^^^  ..^d  to  the 

an  ash  or  a^agberry ,  and      at  a  great  he  .^^  ^^J^^    first,  because  they 

particular  situation  of  the  !"'™,,7,,^V":'e  anxious  to  secure  the  aperture  agau.si 
prefer  retirement,  and  again,  bcodusttiity  •"^''''  ^  a  calamity,  the  hole  is 

The  access  of  water  during  ''««  ">& '^",  j, ,7on  71  la  ge  branch  with  tL  trunk..  It 
generally  dug  immed.aely  under  ''«  .'"^f  ^"^  l^J^\y  downwards,  and  not  ...a 
fs  first  bored  horizontally  for  a  few  '"'•'■^"i^ncn  ""'^  {,-  j„  circumstances,  this 
spiral  manner,  as  'T"^ ^^^^^^^^  ^'^^^'^^  ten  inches  w^hilst  at 
cavity  is  more  or   bss  deep,  '^f'';S  «''"•='  j,  i,„o  the  core  of  the  tree.    I 

other  limes  it  rca-  hes   "«"[>' .^^'^^^i'^r'^'^ees^r^^^^^^  l.-.s  immedu.lo 

have  been  led  to  think  that  these  '''^Terences  resui  _  _^^j  ^         ,^^^^. 

necessity  under  which  tl'o  U-na  e  ..ay  be  of  ^cpos  I  n^^l  .^  ^^^  |^^  j_^,^  -  ^,^  ,. 
thougli.  that  the  older  .he  W"'  'Packer;  -  ^e'l^^^^  ^„s  about  seven  mclics 

'^j^i^inr  a  work  most  -i''-»^y -'li^-^-r  Xt^s^i^ft^r 

courage  tlie  other,  whilst  it  .s  engaged  "  JgK^^^  j"^,,^,^  Woodpeckers  were  thus 
taking  its  place.     I  have  approached  trees  whilst  tnc  J       -..^t  jho  bark, 

biisilv  emnloyed  in  forming  ''"V' "*■^^' ",^    X      "j-  1  observed  that  in.  two  m- 

coukl  easily  distinguish  every  bow  gwen  by  U  e  «  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^  .^             ^,_^y 

glances,  when  the  Woodpecker  saw  .rictus^at  ^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^^^^^j  ^^^ 

were  digging  their  nest,  they  ^  'a^'l'  '«d  't '°f«^';,  •  ^,  „,^  ,,oUom  of  the  hole, 

generalfy  six  ess-    They  are  <to^;.;s,UH  on  ^  J-^^'';,!;,  -.^^  „„t  of  the  hole  about 

k^:i.lIZ^::^rJp'^^y-^r  U...  The  .cond  brood  makes 
its  appt'arance  about  the  16th  of  August 


IVORY-Bn.LED  WOODPECKER. 


277 


So  little  attention  do  the  people  of  the  countries  where  tliese  birds 
inhabit  pay  to  the  minutiffi  of  natural  history,  that,  generally  speaking, 
they  make  no  distinction  between  the  Ivory-billed  and  Pileated  Wood- 
pecker, represented  in  the  same  plate  ;  and  it  was  not  till  I  showed 
them  the  two  birds  together,  that  they  knew  of  any  difference.  The 
more  intelligent  and  observing  part  of  the  natives,  however,  distin- 
guish them  by  the  name  of  the  Large  and  Leaser  Logcocks.  They  sel- 
dom examine  them  but  at  a  distance,  gunpowder  being  considered  too 
precious  to  be  thrown  away  on  Woodpeckers ;  nothing  less  tiian  a 
Turkey  being  thought  worth  the  value  of  a  load. 

"  In  KenUicky  and  Indiana,  tlie  Ivory-Bills  seldom  raise  more  than  one  brood  in 
tiie  season.  The  young  are  at  first  of  the  color  of  the  female,  only  that  they  want 
the  crest,  which,  however,  grows  rapidly,  and  towards  autumn  —  particularly  ui  birds 
of  the  first  breed  —  is  nearly  equal  to  that  of  the  mother.  The  males  have  then  a  slight 
line  of  red  on  the  liead,  and  tlo  not  attain  their  richness  of  plumage  until  spring,  or 
their  full  size  until  the  second  year.  Indeed,  even  then,  a  dlH'orence  is  easily  ob- 
served between  them  and  individuals  which  are  much  older. 

"  The  food  of  this  species  consists  principally  of  beetles,  larvDP,  and  large  grubs. 
No  sooner,  however,  are  the  grapes  of  our  forests  ripe  than  thev  are  eaten  by  the 
Ivory-billed  Woodpecker  with  great  avidity.  I  have  seen  tins  bird  hang  by  its 
claws  to  the  vines,  in  the  position  so  often  assumed  by  a  Titmouse,  and,  reaching 
downwards,  help  itself  to  a  bunch  of  grapes  with  much  apparent  pleasure.  Per- 
simmons are  also  sought  for  by  them,  as  soon  as  the  fruit  becomes  quite  mellow,  as 
are  hagbcrries. 

"The  Ivory-Bill  is  neverseen  attackingthecorn.  orthe  fruit  of  the  orchard,  although 
it  is  sometimes  observed  working  upon  and  chipping  off  the  bark  from  the  belted 
trees  of  the  ncwlv-cleaied  plantations.  It  seldom  comes  near  the  ground,  but  pre- 
fers at  all  times  the  tops  of  the  tallest  trees.  Should  it,  however,  discover  the  half- 
standing  broken  shaft  of  a  large  dead  and  rotten  tree,  it  attacks  it  in  such  a  manner 
as  nearly  to  demolish  it  in  the  course  of  a  few  days.  I  have  seen  the  remains  of 
some  of  these  ancient  monarchs  of  our  forests  so  excavated,  and  that  so  singularly, 
that  the  tottering  fragments  of  the  trunk  appeared  to  be  merely  supported  by  the  great 
.pile  of  chips  by  which  its  base  was  surrounded.  The  strength  of  this  Woodpecker 
is  such,  that  I  have  seen  it  detach  pieces  of  bark  seven  or  eight  inches  in  length  at 
a  single  blow  of  its  powerful  bill,  and  by  beginning  at  the  top  branch  of  a  dead  tree, 
tear  off  the  bark,  to  an  extent  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  in  the  course  of  a  few  hoursj 
leaping  downwards,  with  its  body  in  an  upward  position,  tossing  its  head  to  the 
right  and  left,  or  leaning  it  against  the  bark  to  ascertain  the  precise  spot  where  the 
grubs  were  concealed,  and  immediately  after  renewing  its  blows  with  fresh  vigor, 
all  the  while  sounding  its  loud  notes,  as  if  highly  delighted. 

"  This  species  generally  moves  in  pairs,  after  the  young  have  left  their  parents. 
The  female  is  always  the  most  clamorous  and  the  least  shy.  Their  mutual  attach- 
ment is,  I  believe,  continued  through  lifts.  Excepting  when  digging  a  hole  for  the 
reception  of  their  eggs,  these  birds  seldom,  if  ever,  attack  living  trees,  for  any 
oilier  purpose  than  that  of  procuring  food,  in  doing  which  they  destroy  the  insects 
that  would  otherwise  prove  injurious  to  the  trees. 

"  I  have  frequently  observed  the  male  and  female  retire  to  rest  for  the  night,  into 
the  same  hole  in  which  they  had  long  before  reared  their  young.  This  generally 
happens  a  short  time  after  sunset. 

•'  When  wounded  and  brought  to  the  ground,  the  Ivory-Bill  immediately  makes 
for  the  nearest  tree,  and  ascends  it  with  great  rapidity  and  perseverance  until  it 
reaches  the  top  branches,  when  it  squats  and  hides,  generally  with  great  effect. 
Whilst  ascending,  it  moves  spirally  round  the  tree,  utters  its  loud  pait,  pait,  pail, 
at  almost  every  hop,  but  becomes  silent  the  moment  it  reaches  a  place  where  it 
conceives  itself  secure.  They  sometimes  cling  to  the  bark  with  their  claws  so  firmly 
as  to  remain  cramped  to  the  spot  for  several  hours  after  death.  When  taken  by 
the  hand,  which  is  rather  a  hazardous  undertaking,  they  strike  with  great  violence, 
and  inflict  very  severe  wounds  with  their  bill  as  well  as"  claws,  which  are  extremely 
sharp  and  strong.  On  such  occasions,  this  bird  utters  a  mournful  and  very  piteouj 
cry."  — Ed.  ^  *^ 

24 


278 


IVORY-L  LLED  WOODPECKER. 


The  food  of  this  bird  ccnsists,  1  believe,  entirely  of  insects  and 
their  larvce  *  The  Pileated  Woodpecker  is  suspected  of  sonictimea 
tasting  the'  Indian  corn;  the  Ivory-billed  never.  His  common  note, 
repeated  every  three  or  four  seconds,  very  much  resembles  the  tone 
of  a  trumpet,  or  tlie  high  note  of  a  clarionet,  and  can  plamly  be  dis- 
tincuislied  at  the  distance  of  more  than  half  a  mile ;  secmmg  to  be 
immediately  at  hand,  though  perhaps  more  than  one  hundred  yards  off. 
This  it  utters  while  mounting  along  the  trunk  or  digging  into  it.  At 
those  times  it  has  a  stately  and  novel  appearance  ;  and  the  note  in- 
stantly attracts  the  notice  of  a  stranger.  Along  the  borders  of  the 
Savannah  River,  between  Savannah  and  Augusta,  I  found  them  very 
frequently ;  but  mv  horse  no  sooner  heard  their  trumpet-like  note,  than, 
remembering  his  former  alarm,  he  became  almost  ungovernable. 

The   Ivory-billed   Woodpecker  is  twenty  inches  long,  and  thirty 
inches  in  extent;  the  general  color  is  black,  with  a  considerable  gloss 
of  green  when  exposed  to  a  good  light;  iris  of  the  eye,  vivid  yellow; 
nostrils,  covered  with  recumbent  white  hairs ;  fore  part  of  the  head, 
black;  rest  of  the  crest,  of  a  most  splendid  red,  spotted  at  the  bottom 
with  white,  which  is  only  seen  when  the  crest  is  erected,  as  represented 
in  Fisr.  135;  this  long  red  plumage  being  ash-colored  at  its  base, 
above  that  white,  and  ending  in  brilliant  red;  a  stripe  of  white  pro- 
ceeds from  a  point,  about  half  an  inch  below  each  eye,  passes  down 
each  side  of  the  neck,  and  along  the  back,  where  they  are  about  an 
inch  apart,  nearly  to  the  rump;  the  first  five  primaries  are  wholly 
black;  on  the  next  five  the  white  spreads  from  the  tip,  higher  and 
hiffher,  to  the  secondaries,  which  are  wholly  white  from  their  coverts 
downward.    These  markings,  when  the  wings  are  shut,  make  the  bird 
appear  as  if  his  back  were  white  ;  hence  he  has  been  called  oy  some 
of  our  naturalists  the  large  White-backed  Woodpecker.    The  neck 
is  loner;  the  beak  an  inch  broad  at  tlie  base,  of  the  color  and  consis- 
tence°of  ivory,  prodigiously  strong  and  elegantly  fluted.    The  tail  is 
black,  tapering  from  the  two  exterior  feathers,  which  are  three  inches 
shorter  than  the  middle  ones,  and  each  feather  has  the  singu  arit.y  of 
beintr  greatly  concave  below  ;  the  wing  is  lined  with  yellowish  white ; 
the  fe^s  are  about  an  inch  and  a  quarter  long,  the  exterior  toe  about 
the  same  length,  the  claws  exactly  semicircular  and  remarkably  pow- 
erful, -the  whole  of  a  light  blue  or  lead  color.     The  female  is  about 
half  an  inch  shorter,  the  bill  rather  less,  and  the  whole  plumage  of  the 
head  black,  glossed  with  green;  in  the  other  parts  of  the  plumage,  she 
exactly  resembles  the  male.     In  the  stomachs  ot  three  which  I  opened, 
I  found  large  quantities  of  a  species  of  worm  called  borers,  two  or 
three  inches  long,  of  a  dirty  cream  color,  with  a  black  head;  the 
stomach  was  an  oblong  pouch,  not  muscular,  like  the  gizzards  of  some 

»  Mr.  Audubon  says,  that  though  the  greater  part  of  their  food  consists  of  inserts 
and  The  rlarv«,  no  sL'ner  are  th!  grape's  of  our  forests  r,p,  than  fy  are  eaten 
with  thp  greate  t  avidity.  I  have  seen  this  bird  haj.g  by  Us  claws  to  the  vines  n 
^e  position  so  often  assumed  by  the  Titmouse  and,  reaching  ^l"wn,  he  p  Usdf  to 
a  bilnch  of  grapes.  Persimmons  are  also  sought  by  them,  as  soon  as  the  fruit  be- 
comes  quite  mellow,  and  hagberries.  — Kd. 


PILEATED  WOODPECKER. 


279 


others.  The  tonguo  was  worm-shaped,  and  for  half  an  inch  at  the  tip 
as  liard  as  horn,  flat,  pointed,  of  the  same  white  color  as  the  bill  and 
thickly  barbed  on  each  side.* 


PILEATED   WOODPECKER. -PICUS  PILEATUS.-Fio.   132. 


s    '  'J:-^'^^''^^<\^°°'^'^''^<'r,Arct.  Zool.  ii.  No.  \hl..-Lalh.  8yn.  ii.  p.  654, 
J.  —  Id.  Supp.  p.  106.  —  Bartram,  p.  289 —  Peak's  Museum,  No.  1886. 

PICUS  PILEJlTUS.-hi!,i,jEii».t 

Picus  pileatus,  Bonap.  Sijnop.  p.  44.—  Wagl  Syst.  Av.  No.  2.  — Picus  (drvoto- 
mus)  pileatus,  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  304. 

This  American  species  is  the  second  in  size  among  h\a  tribe  and 
may  be  styled  the  great  northern  chief  of  the  Woodpeckers,  thdiio-h 
in  fact,  his  range  extends  over  the  whole  of  the  United  States  frSm 
the  mtenor  of  Canada  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  He  is  very  numerous 
m  the  Genesee  country,  and  in  all  the  tracts  of  high-timbered  forests 
particularly  m  the  neighborhood  of  our  largo  rivers,  where  he  is  noted 
for  making  a  loud  and  almost  incessant  cackling  before  wet  weather 
flying  at  such  times  in  a  restless,  uneasy  manner  from  tree  to  tree' 
making  the  woods  echo  to  his  outcry.  In  Pennsylvania  and  the  North- 
ern States,  he  is  called  the  Black  Woodcock ;  in  the  Southern  States, 
the  Logcock.  Almost  every  old  trunk  in  the  forest  where  he  resides 
bears  the  marks  of  his  chisel.  Wherever  he  perceives  a  tree  be<rinnin<T 
to  decay,  he  examines  it  round  and  round  with  great  skill  and  dexterity 
strips  off  the  bark  in  sheets  of  five  or  six  feet  in  length,  to  get  at  the 
hidden  cause  of  the  disease,  and  labors  with  a  gayety  and  activity 
really  surprising.  I  have  seon  him  separate  the  greatest  part  of  the 
bark  from  a  large,  dead  pine  troe,  for  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  in  less  than 
a  quarter  ot  an  hour.  Whether  engaged  in  flying  from  tree  to  tree, 
in  digging,  climbing,  or  barking,  he  seems  perpetually  in  a  hurry.  He 
IS  extremely  hard  to  kill,  clinging  close  to  the  tree  even  after  he  has 
received  his  mortal  wound  ;  nor  yielding  up  his  hold  but  with  his  ex- 
piring breath.    If  slightly  wounded  in  the  wing,  and  dropped  while 

*  Wilson  seems  to  have  been  in  some  uncertainty  regarding  the  nidification  of 
this  species,  aiid  probabi^r  never  saw  the  nest.  The  account  oT  Mr.  Audubon  will 
fill  up  what  IS  here  wanting.  —  Ed. 

t  As  we  remarked  in  our  last  note,  Mr.  Swainson,  according  to  the  views  he  en- 
lehams,  has  divided  the  large  family  Picianm  into  five  great  divisions,  and  the 
diircrent  forms  in  these  amm  into  groups  of  lesser  value.  For  the  type  of  one  of 
them,  he  has  chosen  the  Picus  pileatus,  under  the  title  of  Orwotowtas,  differing  from 
Piats  III  the  extenor  outer  toe  being  shorter  than  the  anterior  external  one,  exacUy 
the  reverse  of  the  proportions  of  Picus. Ed. 


mo 


PILEATED  WOODPECKER. 


flyinff,  he  instantly  makes  for  the  nearest  tree,  and  strikes  with  ^reat 
bitterness  at  the  hand  stretched  out  to  seize  him;  ana  can  rarely  be 
reconciled  to  confinement.  He  is  sometimes  observed  among  the  hills 
of  Indian  corn,  and  it  is  said  by  somo  that  he  frequently  feede  on  it. 
Complaints  of  this  kind  arc,  however,  not  general;  many  farmers 
doubting  the  fact,  and  conceiving  that  at  these  times  1...  is  in  search 
of  insects  which  lie  concealed  in  the  husk.  I  will  not  be  positive  that 
they  never  occasioniiUy  taste  maize;  yet  I  have  opened  and  oxninincd 
ereat  numbers  of  these  birds,  killed  in  various  parts  of  tho  Unitod 
States,  from  Lake  Ontario  to  the  Alatamaha  River,  but  never  found  a 
errain  of  Indian  corn  in  tli(  ir  stomachs.  .,        , 

The  Plicated  Woodpecker  is  not  migrati;ry,  but  braves  the  extremes 
of  both  the  arctic  and  torrid  regions.  Neither  is  he  gregarious,  lor  it 
is  rare  to  see  more  than  one  or  two,  or  at  the  most  three,  in  company. 
Formerly  they  were  numerous  in  the  neighborhood  of  Philadc  pliia; 
but  gradually,  as  the  old  timber  fell,  and  the  country  became  better 
cleared,  they  retreated  to  tho  forest.  At  present  few  of  those  birds 
are  to  be  found  within  ten  or  fifteen  miles  of  the  city.   .     ,     ,    ,     „ 

Their  nest  is  built,  or  rather  the  eggs  are  deposited,  in  the  hole  of  a 
tree,  dug  out  by  themselves,  no  other  materials  being  used  but  tho  soa 
chips  of  rotten  wood.  The  female  lays  six  large  eggs,  of  a  snowy 
whiteness ;  and,  it  is  said,  tlioy  generally  raise  two  broods  in  the  same 

season.  ,  •  i ..  •        ^    *    4i,„ 

This  species  is  eighteen  inches  long,  and  twenty-eight  m  extent ,  the 
general  color  is  a  dusky  brownish  black ;  the  head  is  ornamented  with  a 
conical  cap  of  bright  scarlet;  two  scarlet  mustaches  proceed  from  the 
lower  mandible;  the  chin  is  white;  the  nostrils  are  covered  with 
brownish  white,  hair-like  feathers,  and  this  stripe  of  white  passes  from 
thence  down  the  side  of  the  neck  to  the  sides,  spreading  under  the 
wings;  the  upper  half  of  the  wings  is  white,  but  concealed  by  the 
black  coverts ;  the  lower  extremities  of  the  wings  are  black,  so  that 
the  white  on  the  wing  is  not  seen  but  when  the  bird  is  flying,  at  whicfi 
time  it  is  very  prominent;  the  tail  is  tapering,  the  feathers  being  very 
convex  above,  and  strong;  the  legs  are  of  a  leaden  gray  color,  very 
short,  scarcely  half  an  inch;  the  toes  very  long;  claws,  strong  and 
semicircular,  and  of  a  pale  blue;  the  bill  is  fluted,  sharply  rulged, 
verv  broad  at  the  base,  bluish  black  above,  below  and  at  the  point  blu- 
ish white;  the  eye  is  of  a  bright  golden  color,  the  pupil  black;  the 
ton<rue,  like  those  of  its  tribe,  is  worm-shaped,  except  near  the  tip, 
where  for  one  eighth  of  an  inch  it  is  horny,  pointed,  and  beset  with 

^The  female  has  the  forehead,  and  nearly  to  the  crown,  of  a  light 
brown  color,  and  the  mustaches  are  dusky,  instead  of  red.  In  both,  a 
fine  line  of  white  separates  the  red  crest  from  the  dusky  Ime  that  passes 
over  the  eye. 


RED-WINGED  STARLING.  gfll 


RED-WINUED  .TARLING.  - STURNUS   PREDATORIUS.- 
Fio.  136,  Malk;  Fig.  137,  Female. 

Hhp.  p.  r4.  _  Peale's  Mmtum,  No.  14C6;"l467      ~  Acolch.elH,  Fe.rnand.  Nov. 

AoiJiTva  /•//(EJV/c£r/s._v,E.tioT> 

anJ  plTorr rnir^^^^^^^^^^^^  ^'^  ^-^-P»ted  plunderer 

before  us,  with  his  copartner  n  SSv  t?'""'  "°^'  f""'^^"^  himself 
for  their  ;ery  active  aSn'stinlrSffio.^i'''''''?  *^'  "''"^^'^^  ^»« 
nature  of  these,  I  nhall  endeavor  to  rtnZf-  .  1"  '"^.^^tigating  the 
this  noted  pair  ^dhering^ttrhlriSlJil^^^^^^^  to 

IV«.  ^j        Nolliing^  Pxtcnuate, 
I'Nor  set  down  auc^ht  in  malice. 

Jio;eJt  liScJ^^S;  £  "^."ti^J'lhi^S':^^^'"?'  '"^  --  «-'  •"en- 
been  described  under  a  multitude  of  naLs  £  L,  '"'"cate  family,  it  has 
one  to  be  adopted.  Wilson  also  chan^n,T?hi  •«  ^''°''e  ^^ems  the  preferable 
from  its  plundering  habits,  Uereal,  ^u  1 1  dolT't  TVl  ^'''^'''o.L,  taken 
ginal  designation.  North  America  Dossp,Ln„„,'i  l''°"''^  h""''"  '■*"^'"««'  "^  ori- 
a.e  Continuation  of  the  Or^nV/.oJI.JlPby  Bonapa  te     '  '''^""'^^'  ^P^eies.  figured  in 

cite  HiTieiJi^Lf  ^^^  ^  •"'^-"'i  .-^  only  .con. 

ted  flights.    In  this  country  WP  c^nH^f'  ' '""''''  '^sembles  in  its  conffrnM- 

Wilso^  mentions;  sliir^^yirsoTethnesTerl  nf' '  '''s''^  f  '^'^  """"'m^ 
conceive  the  appearance  of  tlfe  one  fmm  1^1^  ,^.1^*''  ^''i°r  '"'&'''  almost 
low  meadows  of  Holland  affain  ,nmiToT=  •  'e'=°"c.«"°'>s  of  the  other.  Tn  the 
seen  an  extent  of  flat  surfacf  a^  fra/,h^  "^  proportion  may  be  found.  1  havl 
flocks  of  Starlings,  associmed  witl^L^wbe^^and  Go  h"%>  ''°""'*'  ''"'^''^^  -''h 
Hiat  rose  on  the  approach  of  niffht  wem  f^m.  L^  ^''"  ^'°^^''' '  ""''  ">«  """ks 
•Sarduna,  and  those  adjacent,  an  f  wh^rc  ?hev  r^a^h J"""^"'^"  }'^  '^'  '^'^n^l^  "f 
of  another  species,  thd  St.  unkolorofTcmi-ZI  it  ^''f^T^  ^^  "'«  P^e^^n^e 
of  birds  IS  mnumerabic  in  the  lower  vauT,  JnH  *"  '"'"^  P'^'l  ''^e  assemblage 
marshes  which  cover  so  much  of  Z  oXer^aAs  „f  thT''"^  *'^''"H  and  reefy 
luiions  before  ret  rinff  to  rest  amon7rT^  ^  C  ,  '""^^  countries  In  their  evo- 
enchother.    Tha,o&o^^l^:!/:;^X"d^^^^^^ 

IS  something  s  ngularlv  cunous  ami  ^fl  •  ^  ?"  observing  naturalist :— "  There 
vious  to  iheTr  nightly  r^tiJement,  bj  thL^Sv  an"d'- *;  '""''"'/.^  '^''^  ^'^'^^'  P^e- 
execute  at  that  time.    They  w  II -form  Xm7plt„    '"'' '^acy  of  the  evolutions  t^   - 

shoot  ,„,o  a  long,  pear-shaped  fig^uo  expand  hk'-'  ^^^^^^^•'  '^°  '  •"'""^'"'  "•*"' 
Pnny  observes,  eaci,  individual  strS  ^o^"". '  o  f ho  f ''  4'"=*''  "'°  ^  *»»"'  «« 
tudc  more  like  parade  movements  thll  Z  ^  ."  <he  coiitrc,  fee.,  with  a  promoti- 
watched  for,  when  coming  to  S  and  st,  i"),?""  ",  ^''H!'"  '  ''^^«  ''"o^"  ^hem 
afford  favoiite  feather  for'fishe^  -Ed.  °' '" '^""^"J^rabtc  numbers.  Their  win^ 
24* 


<282 


REO-WlNOEl)  STARLING. 


The  Rea-wingod  Starlings,  tf.o«g^.ge.on.^y  ^Z^:^  ^.X  ^ 
north  of  Marylnn.1,  .vro  1  mn'  ^"  "^f ^^;,\';^  ^'Ja  Xn  by  themsolvc, 

along  the  whole  lower  pa  s  ot   "/"f"^        j  j    ^,,g  vicinity  of  largo 

rice  and  <.orn  iicldn.     I"  th.'  ;"°""''  "'    tjjc.  i%va8  frcciuently  enter- 
passing  tJ,ro«gb  the  f^^^^-j^'.^f^rtE  great  bodies  of  Starlings 
tained  with  the  aerial  ^^^f  ,'*"''  "Vmriike  an  cnorn.uua  black  cloud 
Son.eti.nes  th.7  "PP™f '^.f  "^^j^f  Xprev  "ry  m^^^^     ;  Bometirnes 
carried  before  the  ^^'"''' ^W"^' '\'  j  ^^^^^  noise  like  Uvunder; 

suddenly  rising  from  the  ^^^'^I'l^^,^™  ™^  "^?,7  ,f  the  brightoHt  vcmiilion 

while  U»e  glittering  r     '^^^V^^^^^'^^SVon   he^    occasions  a  very 
amid  the  black  cloud  they  tameAprodu^^^^^^  ^^^  ^  ^^^^^^^      ^ 

striking  and  splendid  vAh-.i.     J  J"',  '5'';;„;e  ^,  clump  of  trees,  the 
covering  the  branches  of  suae  '^;tac  '^J^  concert  or 

whole   congregated   '""  ''^ude   conm  cncca  m^  ^^^^^  ^^^ 

choms,  that  I  have  plainly  «l>f  "?  "f/'^'  ^^.^.^mc.  late  "pace  of  about  a 
two  miles,  and,  when  l,st™.    oat       "t>m^^  ,„a  soften  the 


two  miles,  a"<l:;^h«" ''^^'^'S.r^.reo  e  of  w  n'T     swe  1  and  soften  the 
quarter  of  a  m.le,  with  a   light  breey  ot  wm  l  ^^^^  ^j^^,^ 

^ow  of  it.  cadoaces,  ^va   to  me  S  ;^"^1'. '^"  '^^  '  „  ,t„,„„,=„„.„„..«t„in 


The  whoij 
flow  of  ite  cadoaces,  was  to  me  S!"=\""'.j'";' "I',  \n';t;;;;"„iing  to  sustain 
seasonof winter  that  withmo^binK^P_a-^J^ 

life  in  silent  melancholy,  s,  « 't"/  ^/^  1\*;"  V.;  -  '  a„a  buckwheat 
val.  The  nrofuse  gl«ri!^%"Lf?n.  at" ncV  ready  and  nutritious  ; 
fields,  supp\y  them  with  ^^l^"'^"'  ^>^/°°^i,;^J  nreS  manoeuvres,  or  in 
and  the  intermediate  time  is  fP-^^Ji^^J  J[t'"4;fy\he  ab^  all 

S^'SSf^iSrS. -u^  ;:^S;  r  L/ic^ted  l^ce  of  nature 
with  their  whole  comlnned  power,  of  harmony 

fly  along;  '^"d,  m  spite  of  aU  our  ant,^^^^^^^^^^  ^^.  ^ .^^^^^  ^      i,e 

and  appearance,  after  the  I""?;™' "f;  I  ■  warmth,  and  verdure, 
cheerful  and  pleasing  ideas  of  '^^turmng  fP"ng'     '^     ^j '      j  ^^ 

Selecting  tlieir  old  haunts,  every  meadow  s  «««^  ^J^^^^^^,,  ^f.^d^rs 
presence!  They  continue  in  ^^^X,  miSle  of  ^ril,w  they 
of  creeks,  swamps,  and  ponds,  ti  I  about  "le  "  "^  ,  -^  /    ;j  ^^^  first 

separate  in  pairs  to  breed ;  and  about  the  la.t  ^ eek  i^^^^p  ^_,^  ^^^  .^ 

in  May,  begin  to  construct  *f l^"'^^*;  .  ^J^wamp,  meadow,  or  other 
generally  -ithm  the  precincts  o  -3g'f^Sr;,f  alder  bushes  at 
like  watery  situation,- the  bpoti^sua^^^^  sometimes  in  a  de- 

the  height  of  SIX  or  seven  l^ct  ft^om   he  gro^ma  ^^  ^^^^^^^^^ 

tached  bush,  in  a  "'^^'^"^^^^^'f^SVntron  Sie  ground  ;  in  all  of 
or  coarse,  rank  gras. ;  ^fj^lXfonuAZm.  Whin  in  a  busli.tliey 
which  situations  I  have  f  Pf^^^j^J^errushes,  picked  from  the 
are  generally  composed  outwardly  «*  ^^J  ^"f '    J^  .^^n  lined  with 

swa4,  ^lt^;^^%^:trerro::^^^^^^^^  S-rally  ex- 

a^^Srai^^f^-"^^^^ 


REtX-WINOKD  STARl.iNG. 

it  18  placed.    The  Hame  caution  is  observer,  when  a  tussock  ia  rhn-»„ 

bv  fastening  the  tops  to.n3ther,  and  intortwininSe  rtcrials  o?  wZh 

3  no«t  is  for,.,od  with  the  Htulks  of  nmhes  uround.     VV^^n  „  aced  "n 

tlie  .rround  less  care  and  te«rer  u.atcrials  being  necesaarvXnest  £ 

VZ^,^       I'Slit  blue,  marked  with  faint  tinges  of  li/ht  purDfe   and 
long,  straggling  lines  and  dashes  of  black.     It  is  not  uncoinnwn  to  find 

„♦>«/[  ^  ,       '^""''"  '"  «'"'ng,  and  still  more  particularlv 

Tn  W  suJlaSs^oJh?  'I'  "''^  ™'^'^'  ''^«  "'^^  «*''«'  birdftS  bu  5 
in  ow  situations,  exhibits  the  most  vio  ent  symptoms  of  annrehonsinn 

nnd  alarm  on  the  approach  of  any  person  to  i^^ar  ncSSZd 

htV^-'t?"'""."*"  ?"™P«'  ^^  ^^^'  to  meet  the  in^  der!  C^t 
short  height  overhead,  uttering  loud  notes  of  <iistress  and  So  iJ 
hi.  situation,  displays  to  groat^dvantage  the  r S,  glowin.  Ira  let  of 
us  wmgs,  heightened  by  the  jetty  black  of  his  general  pUnna'e  As 
the  danger  increases  his  cries  become  more  shrill  and  Kc^sanl  and 
his  motions  rapid  and  restless  ;  the  whole  meadow  i^  alar  noHnnT. 
collected  crowd  of  his  fellows  hover  around  ami  n^^nlSrnVe  of 
alarm  and  agitation  with  his.  When  the  ^oung  are^  taken  awav  or 
destroyed,  he  continues  for  several  days  near  the  Icf  restSa^^nd 
dejected,  and  generally  recommences  building  soon  after  in  the  same 
meadow.  Towards  the  beginning  or  middle  of  August,  he  Voun^ 
birds  begin  to  fly  in  flocks,  and  at  that  age  nearly  resemble  the  fe3 

"f  the  mS'anT:  'T  "''"^ ""'  ^'™"^'«'  ^''"^^  "'"'^^  thfshoufdeS 
ot  the  males,  and  which  increases  in  space  and  brilliancv  as  wintnr 

approaches.  It  has  been  frequently  remarked,  tha"S^tSfs  time  the 
yoing  birds  chiefly  a.ssociate  by  themselves,  there  being  sometimeB 
not  more  than  two  or  three  old  males  observed  in  a  S,k  oTmZ 
U^ousands.  These,  from  the  superior  blackness  and  rich  red  of  TSr 
plumage,  are  very  conspicuous.  " 

mP^fS'^  the  beginning  of  September,  these  flocks  have  become  nu- 

hZTfU  .^«™"!^^'« A  ''""^  ^^^  y«""?  «^^  «f  n«^i2e,  or  Indian  com. 
being  then  in  their  soft,  succulent,  mflky  state,  present  a  temptS 
that  cannot  be  resisted.  Reenforced  by  numerous  and  dairS 
from  a  1  parts  of  the  interior,  they  pour  down  on  tlie  low  countries  S 
prodigious  multitujles.  Here  they  are  seen,  lii.e  vast  clouds.^^hec  i„g 
and  driving  over  the  meadows  and  devoted  corn-fields,  darkening  Sf 

Z  '""'  *i^'>- "T^'^""^'  J¥"  '^«™"'^»««-^  the  work  of'cfestructL  on 
Uie  corn  the  husks  of  which,  though  composed  of  numerous  enveW 
ments  of  closely-wrapped  leaves,  are  soon  completely  or  partially  torn 

lemnS  mJT  '"  TT''  '"^'"'^^^  continue' to  /our  down  I  ike  a 
tempest,  blackening  half  an  acre  at  a  time  ;  and,  if  not  disturbed,  re- 
peat  their  depredations,  till  little  remains  bui  tlie  cob  and  the  shrivelled 
skins  of  the  grain;  what  little  is  left  of  the  tende,  ear,  bein|  exposed 

nn,  if«  i'  ""'i  T^u-''  "  i?^'"«'''^"y  '"»ch  injured.  All  the  attacks 
and  havock  made  at  this  time  among  tliem  with  the  gun,  and  by  the 

hna^H'i"^^"!'"'''  T"^'  °^  ^'^^^'^  "'■''  their  constant  attendants,  _ 
has  little  effect  on  the  remainder.  When  the  Hawks  make  a  sweep 
among  them,  they  suddenly  open  on  all  sides,  but  rarely  in  time  to 
disappoint  them  o  their  victims;  and,  though  repeatedly  fi-ed  at,  with 
mortal  eflTect,  thej  only  remove  from  one  field  to  an  adininL""  ""°  -r 


i.    I 


{jg4  REIVWINOED  STARLING. 

to  another  quarter  of  .the  ^ VattiTcanJ^Jltrder  Z'^poi 

^U  this  open  and  "^"-^  J-t^^lly  c^^^^^^^  «*^-^.  '^'^ 

tho  proprietor  ;  and  a  furmor,  wno    m,  u  y  ^^^^^^  ^^    ^^^^j 

would  require  half-a-dozen  '"«"  ,f VcSVwouK  "ot  prevent  a  jjood 
even  tl.en,  all  Uie.r  v'K'l-^"^"  "^"'l  J'^^Jf^Xibirdi  Tho  IndTann, 
tithe  of  it  from  b«conung  the    .  ey  ot  U.o  Bl^  ^^^^  ^^^ 

who  usually  plant  ^h?''  ''"[","  ""J)i,„,  round  and  aniong  »t ;  and 
young  boys  "f  th«  village  all  day  patromi^  ^,      «^^^ 

Jachlcing  furnished  with  bow  ^"J  ';;«^«' ^*^„,,„,b..rH  of  them.       . 
expert,  they  gnnerally  contrive  to  atsiroy  gr..  ^.^^._ 

Ft  mu8t,i.owever,  bo  ob««'^«'^'  'fi^^'^^'J^r^^^  or 

pally  carried  on  '"  ^^  J«Jb"  h"  rr'l"rje  r^  is  also  chiefly 

near  the  extensive  flats  that  bor(  cr  ""["^y'K  j,^.,  After  this  period, 
confined  to  the  months  f  .^"^^ '5,7?^;"  ^.^i  the  seeds  of  tho 
the  corn  having  acquired  its  hard,  «7'  {^""J  J^  ^^at  abound  along 
reeds  or  wild  oaU„  with  a  P^o^^^f  ""/j  "^j^^^^^^^^^^^  present 

the  river  shores,  being  ""^^/  P%^"f  Jso^,^^^^^^^^^^^  mul  itudes.  The 
a  new  and  more  extensive  field  tor  these  •"'2i"l  Places,  being  often 
reeds  also  supply  them  w.U»  '^«":^«";?"J  J^Zr  tE  repaif  every 
in  almost  unapproachable  "^^« '  ^^"^  '^^Zue  pfaces,  however, 
evening,  from  afl  quarters  ot  the  country,    m  circumstance, 

when  tfie  reeds  become  dry,  "^^^'"^.^i  a~hing  the  place,  under 
to  destrov  these  birdj^bya^p^^^^^^^^  in  ivera'l  places  at 

cover  of  a  dark  niglit,  seiuuf,  i  r  general  flame,  tlie  uproar 

once,  which  being  aoon  envelcped  ui  one  ^   J" the    ight  of  tlie 
Loilg  the  Blackbirds  become.,  "-v-H'.l^^^a^^^^^^ 
conflagration,  they  are  «hot  down. nv^t^^^^^^^^      ,  ^^^  ^^^  ^^^^^^ 

screaming  over  the  place,  ^onf  ""^  the  reeds  and  alder  bushes, 
purpose,  Seing  r^u'ufy  ^tr^ed  near  the  r^^^^^^^^  ^^^  ^      ^^ 

wh«e  they  are  known  to  roost,  ^\f'^',^?'"^^"he  party  return  by  day 
consternation  and  havock  are  proJ'g'«»«  '  Jfe  first  of  Novemberf  they 
to  pick  up  the  slaughtered  gl""^'  ^..f.^^l^^^ffh  near  the  sea-coast,  in 

S^TstarrNfw  ^J!S^^^^^^  1-^  ^^^'  ^^^ 

^ruch  are  U.e  general  inannern  and  chara^^^^^^^^^^^ 

of  total  extirpation.  .      i^  Pennsylvania  late  in 

It  has  been  already  stated,  that  they  amv^  m  r       ^         ^^^ 

March     Their  general  food  at^A^^^^^^^^^^  ,^^^  ^^  ^^,,    ,^ 

part  of  summer,  (for  the  ^^o^^^"  "!""  ^^  ^         caterpillars,  and  various 
pests  in  planting  time,)  consists  ot  ff^^J^\^^^^^^^^^^ 
other  larvffi,the  silent,  but  deadly  «"«  «*  dreaded  by  the  husband- 
secret  and  insidious  attacks  "«/XX^,%SS  tribes  togetlier. 
nian  than  the  -!"b'n«d  Ws  of  tte  wh^^^^^^^^  k^  ^^^ 

For  these  vermin,  ^he  Starlings  se^archwitngre^^^^^  ^^^^^  ^^ 

ground,  at  the  roots  of  plants,  m  ""^^  f ''^.^' ^"^^  rUnown  voracity, 
Long  buds,  le'^r^nd  blossoms;  and   tronit^^^^^^  J^^ 

Aemultimdes  of  these  insects  wh.^^^^^^^  suppose  each 

Let  me  musuaic  uuc  "j  ••  


RKfV-WlNdr:?)  STARLING. 


086 


'^lZZZ:::,'J:\f^^^^^^^^  ^r-  ■•"  -^  '''^y,(a  very 

bolievod  timt  no  Ki^^^  upw^nlH  of  twlvo  tJ.ouHand.     Itt 

over  t,h«  whoir.xt'nt     ?th        "."  '."«!:  "'  ''"''"  '^''"'''^  ''"'  rfi«tr.b«ted 
boinp  nearly  Ke  s^^  v^l.    '' w.^'l  tf  '^"'""  '"  '?*""""'''  ^^ose  f.K  ,|, 
twolve  Um.;Hun,    S.^     Burl  nV' 'I!"' "'»"*"''"'""  '''"'"•"y"' ». 
<!iirly  eHtinuitod  nt  double  £  "l^',,     "'^'""  "^  ^'•""^^  *"'■•'•''  "''^y  l»o 
'=onHtantlyfbdonlarvrro^,no„«   t.      "■  ''",''"*"'""''.  "«  thoso'uro 

four  Uu,uHa  ,  to  umciti^^l,-';;'?';^'''^  "'"^'■•'  -""''' '^'""""t  to 
thousand  two  hand  "      ,n  i bni     'r  '   "''^'"^       fT^and  total  of  .ixtoen 

«puc.,of  fournK.i'iy'  rilron;:/"^^  '"-T^i  '"  ^'" 
of  Huch  a  l.i,loou«  host  of  ver^.n  won  ?^  '  «  •'"  ^""''""«'i  '•avajrcH 
and  desolation  over  a  wide  SntTf  thi  "  I  'i"'"^  J"."P'''""'  '"'^"""^ 
country  on  earth.  AH  /£  H  ^^  t  «  ?.  ■""'""*  '""^  boHt-,;ultivated 
liowevor,  nupposiUon   bundo    (m  L,  wn    '  '1  '"T  '^'Tr '**°"-     ^^  *«- 

across  Uie  conSFlo  th,  Sfi  n"  '""'.""teliriHins  travellers 
soveral  of  thrmfi™  ,,  „  .L""  "■;.  ?""""'•  "^""'^  "  iKimerouB  i„ 
toko,,  aLror  Si  /  ooX  L  M,''"  "','  ""■  "",""'"•    ™'™ 

peculiar,     llie  most  common  one  resombies  the  svllnhlps  /«  /-  l  ^ 

"tx!iir;S'j[s;,t^%tsU"f'*°"- 

ln„:  K  •  "  '^'  ^"''  "*  proportionate  ma-'nitude.  Thov  nr,. 
known  by  various  names  in  the  different  states  of  the  Un  on    such  as 

thif  f,  liff  A  '"I''"^'  f^""-  ^'''"y  «*  «•«'"  ''=ive  been  carried  from 
Sen^Sif'I^I  fr^'''  ""^Edwards  relates,  that  one  o? 
nP^rhhlh      1     rV       /*°"''^  ^'^'^'^P^'^  fro"'  "^  case,  was  shot  in  the 

nitnertO  fjns  nnopipa  Koa  Kr.»n , 11        '  J   i  ,. 

-1 r ,„,  „^^a  i;cncr!iliy  Classed  by  naturalists  with 


il 


r  -'I 


^'/i>. 

i       »•.; 


2gg  REI>-WINGED  STARLING. 

the  Oriole.  By  a  careful  ^^o^^^^^l^^^:-^:-:^,  ^ ^'S 
of  that  tribe,  the  similarity  is  ^^  "°  ^J^r  difterent  I  can  ilnd  no 
arrangement;  and  '^^^^^^'^''^'l^^^^^^^^  in  the  structure  of 

eenus  to  which  it  makes  so  near  an  approa    ,  ^^^^j^ 

frbtu  and  in  food,  flig|>^  ^/SdT;.  Ba^ram,  I  have  accordingly 
which,  following  my  judicious  triendmr  foregoing  pages  will 

placed  it    To  Sie  E"Jopean>«^P^^^^^^^^  ^,  ^«„„,,g.    For  Ae 

be  sufficient  to  suasfy  h""  «  Jf ;^[  J^*^^^^  ^^  the  Common  Starling 

satisfaction  of  Uiose  who  are  J^J^^'^™  ^f  ■,^,  character,  from  the 

of  Europe,  I  shall  ««\^f  „^,Etion  I  have  seen  from  Uiat  quarter  * 

latest  and  most  „^f  "^^;f;XS^^^  Writer  observes,  -  "  In  the  winter 
Speaking  ofthe  Stare,  or  Starling,  tniswr  known  at  a  great 

seUn,  Siese  buds  fly  in  ^'^j/^j^J  'hf  thTc?  compares  to  a 

distance  by  their  ^\^?^"g;^^tlteS  bS^  perfonas  a  uniform  cir- 
sort  of  vortex,  in  which  tiie  ^^f^^  ^  Jj^^^^s  to  make  a  pro^res- 
cular  revolution,  and,  at  the  same  "'ne^  ^^^^^  assemble  in 

sive  advance.    The  evening    s  Ac  time  ^  ^^^^  ^^^  ^^^^^ 

the  greatest  ""f^^'/^^.^S  J  tS  chatter  much  in  the  evening 
where  they  roost  among  the  reeas .  i"«^  .lisoerse.  So  attached  are 
:^A  morning,  both  -hen  they  ^^^^  tsoTSSr  own  species,  but  . 
they  to  society,  that  they  "f  ""^'^  JJ'^^e  frequently  seen  m  company 
also  birds  of  a  different  kind,  ""'^  ^[^VFieldfares,  and  even  with 
with  Red-Wings,  (a  «peci^««  °f  ^  "^3  ^^  ^^^^  „f 

Z-i:;1:iSt^lr^:i  eas^;  b»  to  repeat  short  phrases,  or 
whistle  tunes  with  great  exactness.  and  tbur- 

The  Red-wmged  Stajng  (F^^^^  ^,l,,k,  withtlie 

teen  inches  m  extent ;  the  general  coi  b  ^^^^^  ^^^  ^^ 

exception  of  tlie  whole  l«««f  ,^J|-^7eXrich  and  splendid  scarlet; 
which  is  of  a  reddish  "-^^n^^.^^J";'!^^^^^  trides'hazel ;  bill,  cylindrical 
legs  and  bill,  glossy  brownish  black  ,iria^  considerably  up  Uie 
above,  ccnpressed  at  tlie  sules   ^^/^^^^^^^^  towards  the  tip, 

forehead,  where  .^V^f  ^ "\"\  ari^^^^^^^^  the  bill,  tapering,  and 

f""^';  talT  e"id  'tS^SudeStL  two  fniddle  feathers  also  some- 
l^hSL^rtttaSosl  ,„  length,  and 

The  female  (Fig.  137)  is  f  «^^"  ^"f  ,^„Xh  ere      ;  from  the  nostril 
twelve  inches  in  extent;  dun,  a  F^^J™  tU  stripes  of  the 

over  the  eye,  and  from  the  lowemand^^^^^  ^^  tlie  eye  hack- 

same,  speckled  with  black    ^0"^  J^e  po^t^rior     ^^  ^^^^^^^  ^nd 

wards,  k  streak  of  browmHh  b^^J^/^Y'^  ^la.k  and  white,  the  latter 
whole  lower  part^,  "^y  ^S'^'thde  pluma^  above,  black,  each 
inclininir  to  cream  on  the  breust ,   whole  P™    «  .^.      ^^  bird  a  very 

"the  ,o„„. « J  « gsftr^tir  sti  ^air/hot 

plumage  more  broadly  sKineu 

.  DKW.cK's  BrUi^k  Bird.,  part ..  p.  119.    NewcwUo,  1809 


BLACK-POLL  WARBLER. 


287 


n«i^f  ,  ^^^^-  r('''S-<:oyeTtB  of  the  males,  at  first  pale,  inclini  «r  to 
orange  and  partially  disposed.  Tlie  brown  continues  to  skit'the 
black  plumage  or  a  year  or  two,  so  that  it  is  rare  to  find  an  old  niSe 
altogether  destitute  of  some  remains  of  it ;  but  the  red  is  geneS 
complete  in  breadth  and  brilliancy  by  the  succeeding  sprin'  tK 
females  are  entirely  destitute  of  that  ornament.  "^ 

1  he  flesh  of  these  birds  is  but  little  esteemed,  being,  in  general 

e™.lT  '"1  '°"^'*^-  ^'""V'^'^  °^"  ^^'"'  ^''  J'°^^«vcr,  freli'uently  seen 
exposed  tor  sale  in  our  markets.  j      ^" 


BLACK-POLL   WARBLER. _ SYLVIA  STRIATA. -Fig.  138. 

Lath.  ii.  460.  -  Arct.  Zool.  40L  -  Turlon,  GOO.  -  Peale's  Musemi,  No.  7054. 

SYLVICOUl  STIlIATM.*~Svi Mvion. 

Sylvia  striata,  Bonap.  tUjnop.  p.  iil.— Sylvicolu  striata,  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  218. 

This  species  has  considerable  affinity  to  the  Flycatchers  in  its 
habits.  It  IS  chiefly  confined  to  th"  woods,  and  even  there,  to  the  tops 
of  the  tallest  trees,  whore  it  i.s  descried  skipping  from  branch  to 
branch,  in  ptirsuit  of  winged  insocts.  Its  note  is  a  single  screen, 
scarcely  audible  from  below.  It  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  about  the 
^UUi  ol  April,  and  is  first  seen  on  the  tops  of  the  highest  maples,  dart- 
ing about  among  the  blossoms.  As  the  woods  thicken  with  leaves  it 
may  be  found  pretty  generally,  being  none  of  the  least  numerous  of 
our  summer  birds.  It  is,  however,  most  partial  to  woods  in  the  im- 
mediate neighborhood  of  croek.s,  swamps,  or  morasses,  probably  from 
the  greater  number  of  its  favorite  insects  frequentino-  such  places 
It  IS  also  pretty  generally  diffused  over  the  United  State's,  havinff  mv- 
self  met  with  it  in  most  quarters  of  the  Union ;  though  its  nest  has 
hitherto  defied  all  my  researches. 

This  bird  may  be  considered  as  occupying  an  intermediate  station 
between  the  flycatchers  and  the  Warblers,  having  tlie  manners  of  the 
former,  and  the  bill,  partially,  of  the  latter.  The  nice  gradations  by 
which  nature  passes  from  one  species  to  another,  even  in  this  depart- 
ment of  the  great  chain  of  beings,  will  forever  baffle  all  the  artificial 
rules  and  systems  of  man.  And  this  truth  every  fresh  discovery 
must  impress  more  forcibly  on  the  mind  of  the  observing  naturalist 
These  birds  leave  us  early  in  September. 

The  Black-Poll  Warbler  is  five  and  a  half  inches  long,  and  right 
and  a  half  in  extent;  crown  and  hind  head,  black;  cheeks,  pure 
white  ;  from  each  lower  mandible  runs  a  streak  of  small  black  spots 
those  on  the  side,  larger ;  the  rest  of  the  lower  parts,  white ;  primaries' 
black,  edged  with  yellow ;  rest  of  the  wing,  black,  edged  with  ash : 
the  first  and  second  row  of  coverts,  broadly  tipped  with  white ;  back, 

-r*.  "^f"!?.'^  °".  a'.>errant  Sy/ricnia,  aiiproacliing  fietophafi^a  in  the  form  and  brislline 
wi  Uic  uiii,  and  also  in  the  manners  of  ihe  Fi^culcliors.  — Eu. 


288 


l,ESSKR  RKDPOLL. 


LES8ER  KEDPOLL.-FR.NGILLA  UNAB.A.-F... « 

UA. ».  J06.  -  Ar,l.  ^^^^^  j„^,^„_  „„.  65ra. 

Fringillalinaria,  Bonup.  St/iop-  P-  "2. 

T„»  bird  correspondB  so  exactly  i^J-^^^^f  S\r^^^^^^^^ 
plumage    with  that  of  Europe  otthe^^^^^^^  ^^         t 

identity  beyond  a  doubt.  .^^^^I-J'^^oreremote  northern  countries, 
northern  parts  ot  Canada    and  st  U  ^^e  ^^^  ^^  ^^.^^^^_    ^hey 

from  whence  they  migrate  ^^  the  commen  ^^^  ^^  ^^^ 

appear  in  the  G^ ''LTb^XTiSe  of  Snow  Bi?ds.    As  the  female 
account  are  usually  called  by  the  title  oi  c  .^^  ^„^  ^^  y^ung 

is  destitute  of  the  "^Tornament  tlT  the  succeeding  spring,  such  a 
birds  do  not  receive  Jiat  ornament  imu  ^^^^^  ^^^  ^^    j.^^ 

small  proportion  of  the  ^^f^^^^^f  tiilf  amo™  the  inhabitants  of  those 
with  red,  as  to  mducc  ^^  genera  belict  amon  ^^^^    ^^^^^^  ^j. 

parts  that  they  are  two  different  kinds  ^J«^^g«^^,  ^     ^i„ters  in  the 
Lse  bird,  have  t'^f^St^^t Teem  particularly  fond  of  the 

sfu:hX"Js::nniitc"a^^^^^^^^^ 

any  symptoms  of  alarm.  j^  ^^  ^j^h  several  others 

powers  of  song.  ,„u„„t  thp  whole  northern  parts  of  Europe, 

^  This  species  extends  throughout  Uie^vhoie  no  v        ^^^^^^^  ^^ 

is  likewise  found  in  the  Tf/^^e^ilds^  Russia^  w^^^  ^^^^^  ^^e 

Kamtschatka,  and  probably  ii^-^i^^^^^SXre.  In  the  Highlands 
whole  habitable  parts  of  *e  "orOi^n  hemiBph^^^^^^  ^^  ^^|  ^^^^^^ 

of  Scoiiand  they  are  common,  ^~f  (^^'^^^n  Linnet,  and  sometimes 
sometime,  in  a  low  furze  busl^^hk^B^he^^^^^^^^  stalks  of  dried  grass, 
on  the  ground.    The  nest  is  f<mned^  ng        ^^.^^^  ^^^^^^^       The 


LESSER   REDPOLL. 


289 


[Mr.  Ord  has  added  to  the  description  of  Wilson  as  follows  •  — 
«  Contrary  to  the  usual  practice  of  Mr.  Wilson,  he  omitted  to  furnish 
a  particujar  description  of  this  species.  But  this  supplementary  no- 
tice would  not  have  been  considered  necessary,  if  our  author  had  not 
lallon  into  a  mistake  respecting  the  markings  of  tlio  female  and  the 
young  male ;  the  former  of  which  he  describes  as  '  destitute  of  the 
crimson  on  the  forehead,'  and  the  latter  'not  receiving  that  ornament 
till  tlie  succeeding  spring.'  When  Mr.  Wilson  procured  his  speci- 
mens, It  was  m  tlie  autumn,  previously  to  their  receivino-  their  perfect 
winter  dress  ;  and  ho  was  never  afterwards  aware  of  his  error,  owing 

idLMuitv.  WilHon  is  certamly  confouiuliti";  the  fliountaiii  Linnet  (/-.  moniium) 
vvhe,,  fie  says  '  l„  the  Highlands  of  ScotLut  they  are  oommon,  buiVling  oTjn'n' 
he  tops  of  the  heath,  sometimes  in  a  low  furze  bush,  like  the  Common  Linnet,  and 
sometimes  on  the  ground."  This  is  exactly  the  habit  ol  the  Mountain  Linnet  ad 
Mr.  ()r<l  IS  wrong:  m  saying  the  young  oossess  the  crimson  head  ;  I  have  ma.  y  n 
my  possession  without  it,  and  have  sfiot  them  at  all  seasons ;  they  receive  that 
mark  at  the  commencement  of  the  first  breeding  season,  when  the  Sit  bTrds^  also 

we'll 'n'Lnif"''"l"  "'^.P'"!"^^*'  '/'^  '"^''«-  P^h  «*"^n'  very  fond  of  lie  beech  L° 
well  as  of  the  birch  and  alder,  and  appear  to  find  H.sects  in  the  husks  of  the  old  mast 
wh  cl,  they  are  constantly  picking  and  looking  into.  I  have  found  their  nests  aTso 
pretty  frequeniy  ma  young  fir  plantation  :  it  was  in  a  low  situation,  but  1  ey  were 
invariably  linecf  with  the  wool  of  willow  catkins.  I  shall  here  add  Mr.  Sell  v^s  cor! 
reel  description  of  the  majiners  of  this  species,  which  is  in  every  way  confirmed  bv 
my  own  observations.  "  It  is  only  know";,  in  the  southernpartso^Brilain  a  a  w  nte^ 
visitant,  and  is  a  that  period  gregarious,  and  frequently  taken  in  company  with  the 
other  species  by  the  bird-catchers,  by  whom  it  is  calkJ the  Stone  Relpol[  I  he 
northern  counties  of  England  and  i;.  Scotland  and  its  isles,  it  is  resicient  through 
Uie  year  It  retires  during  the  summer,  to  the  underwood  that  covers  the  bases  Sf 
many  of  our  mountains  and  Inlls,  and  that  often  fringes  the  banks  of  their  pre- 
cipitous streams,  in  which  sequestered  situations  it  brelds.  The  nest  is  bu  It  in  a 
bush  or  low  tree  (such  as  willow,  alder,  or  hazel,)  of  moss  and  the  s  alks  of  ry 
grass,  intermixed  w.  h  down  from  the  catkin  of  tlie  willow,  which  also  forms  the 
nmiig,  and  renders  .1  a  particularly  soft  an.l  warm  recep  acle  forlheSand 
young.  From  this  substance  being  a  constant  material  of  the  ncst°  t  follo^f  tfi 
the^oung  arc  produced  late  m  the  season,  and  are  seldom  able  t^  fly  before  "he 

elf  •^""K1  °'k'"'  ''"^'""'"^  i^'^\y-  ''''"^  ''Sgs  ^''  '■«"'•  "f  five  in  immberTtheir 
CO  or,  pale  bluish  green,  spotted  with  orange  brown,  principally  towards  the  arger 

1  n l;.  Z«" A"^  ""r"'  ""r*^  F  •■'[."''!'""^.'  '""^^  «^^PC'-i«lly  such  as  abound  in  Wrch 
or  alder-trees,  the  catkins  of  winch  yield  it  a  plentiful  supply  of  food.  When  fced- 
ng  Its  motion  affords  both  interest  and  amusement;  since,  in  order  to  reach  the 
ca  kins  which  ge^icrally  grow  near  the  extremities  of  the  smaller  branches  it  is 
obliged  like  he  T'tmouse,  to  hang  with  its  back  downwards,  and  assume  a  variety 
?r!.Z  ,  v".  '>"""^«i  ""d-^^''™  ""'?  '^"Sased,  it  is  so  intent  upon  its  work,  a^ 
frequently  to  allow  itself  to  be  taken  by  a  long  slick  smeared  xvith  bird-lime  in 
w^iich  way  I  have  occasionally  captured  if  when  ?n  want  of  specimens  for  examlna" 
tion  It  also  eats  the  buds  of  trees,  and  (when  in  flocks)  proves  in  this  way  seri- 
oiisly  injurious  to  youiig  plantations.  lis  call  note  is  very  frequently  repeated 
when  on  wing,  and  by  this  it  may  be  always  distinguished  from  tLe  otfier  sfecLs 
The  notes  it  produces  during  the  pairing  season,  although  few,  and  not  de  ivered 
HI  continuous  song,  are  sweet  and  pleasing."  ,  a.,u  uui  ueuvcrea 

"  This  bird  is  widely  diffused  through  all  the  northern  parts  of  Europe  •  inhabits 
America."        "'        ^'  ®"""*  """^  Kamtschatka  ;  and'^^s  also  ahunZnt  in  S 

The  authors  of  the  Northern  Zoology  describe  another  bird  allied  to  the  Linnets 
of  which  one  individual  only  was  obtained  in  the  last  northern  expedition.  It  is 
s.-»id  to  be  new,  and  is  described  as  Linaria  (Leocoslkte)  Teprocotis,  Sw.  Grnv 
crowned  Linnet  It  is  an  aberrant  form  of  Linaria,  which'  Mr.'swainson  propose. 
to  designate  under  the  above  sub-s-eneric  tiiJn.  _ Ed  I'-^ywa 

25 


1    \ 


290 


LESSER  REDPOLL. 


to  the  circuMistance  of  these  birds  seldom  appearing  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Philadelphia.  Considerable  flocks  of  them,  b^owever,  have 
visited  us  tliis  winter,  (1813-14 ;)  and  we  have  been  enaoled  to  pro- 
cure severalline  specimens  of  both  sexes,  from  the  most  perfect  of 
which  we  have  taken  the  following  description.  We  will  add,  that 
havin.^  had  the  good  fortune  to  observe  a  flock,  consisting  of  nearly 
a  hundred,  within  a  few  feet  of  them,  as  they  were  busily  engaged 
in  pickine-  the  seeds  of  the  wild  orache,*  we  can,  with  confidence,  as- 
Bcit,  tliat  they  «// had  the  red  patch  on  the  crown;  but  there  were 
very  few  which  had  tlie  red  rump  and  breast:  the  young  males,  it  is 
probable,  are  not  thus  marked  until  the  spring,  and  the  females  are 
destitute  of  tliat  ornament  altogether.  _.      •     ,     ^u         i 

"  The  Lesser  Redpoll  is  five  inches  and  a  quarter  in  length,  and 
ei.rht  inches  and  a  half  in  breadth;  the  bill  is  pale  yellow,  ridged 
above  and  below  with  dark  horn  color,  the  upper  mandible  projecting 
somewhat  over  the  lower  at  the  tip;  irides,  dark  hazel;  the  nostrils 
are  covered  with  recumbent,  hair-like  feathers,  of  drab  color ;  a  line 
of  brown  extends  from  the  eyes,  and  encircles  the  base  ot  the  bill, 
forming,  in  some  specimens,  a  patch  below  tlie  chin;  the  crown  is 
ornamented  with  a  pretty  large  spot  of  deep,  shining  crimson ;  the 
throat,  breast,  and  rump,  stained  with  the  same,  but  of  a  more  delicate 
red;  the  belly  is  of  a  very  pale  ash,  or  dull  white;  the  sides  are 
streaked  with  dusky  ;  the  whole  upper  parts  are  brown  or  dusky  ;  the 
plumage,  edged  with  yellowish  white  and  pale  ash,  the  latter  most 
predominant  near  the  rump;  wings  and  tail,  dusky;  the  latter  is 
forked,  and  consists  of  twelve  feathers  edged  with  white ;  the  prima- 
ries are  very  slightly  tipped  and  edged  with  white,  the  secondaries 
more  so :  the  greater  and  lesser  coverts  are  also  tipped  with  white, 
forming  the  bars  across  the  wings;  thighs,  cinereous;  legs  and  feet, 
black ;  hind  claw,  considerably  hooked,  and  longer  than  the  rest  1  he 
female  is  less  bright  in  her  plumage  above;  and  her  under  parts  in- 
cline more  to  an  ash  color ;  the  spot  on  her  crown  is  ot  a  golden 
crimson,  or  reddish  saffron  color.  One  male  specimen  was  considera- 
blv  larger  than  the  rest ;  it  meafiured  five  inches  and  three  quarters  in 
len<rth,  and  nine  inches  and  a  quarter  in  extent ;  the  breast  and  rump 
were  tawnv  ;  its  claws  were  uncommonly  long ;  the  hmd  one  measured 
nearly  three  eighUis  of  an  inch;  and  the  spot  on  the  crown  was  of  a 
d'lrki^'r  hue  than  that  of  the  rest.  ,   .    r  .v.      v  •     •;/ 

"The  call  of  this  bird  exactly  resembles  that  of  the  1-migdla 
trhUs,  or  Coimnon  Yellow-Bird  of  Pennsylvania.  The  Redpolls  lin- 
ger in  the  neighborhood  of  Philadelphia  until  about  the  inuldlc  ot 
A  mil :  but  whither  they  retire  for  the  business  of  incubation,  we  can- 
not determine.  In  common  with  almost  all  our  Finches,  the  Redpolls 
become  very  fat,  and  are  then  accounted  delicious  eating.  During 
the  last  winter,  many  hundreds  of  them  were  exposed  to  sale  m  the 
Philadelphia  market,  and  were  readily  purchased  by  those  epicures, 
whose  love  of  variety  permits  no  delicacy  to  escape  them.  ] 

*  Atiijli ;-  liastala,  Limi. 


AMERICAN   CROSSBILL. 


291 


AMERICAN   CROSSBILL—CURVmoSTRA    AR  ERICANA  _ 
Fig.  140,  Male;  Fig.  141,  Fkmalk. 

Peale's  Museum,  No.  6640. 

LOXM  CC^/Jf-zuosrit*  7 -BowAPABT... 

Lojcia  curvirostra,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  117 

rostra  nave  also  been  formnri  fnr  ;.  f  °™"no'"g"its.  Crunrostra  and  CVnu- 
rejected,  from  tte  pr"or  °y  of  th^  ^^^^^^^^^  'rh'>^  of  the  bill ;  but  ought  to  li 
composed  of  at  n.ost  fo,  /spec  es  nrov  I'd  thni  ^f  T  ""  ^""^  '"*^"*'^  ?^""P'  ^eing 
one  differing  from  those  of  EuronP  Cp  fn„  i  •  .  r  ^'"«''"=a  ''^  prove  J  distinct,  or 
tion  appear!  to  exi^A  pm^^.tJC^Z  ^'^^''TrJi"'""'-  1'''^'^ ''i^tri'bu- 
numbers  to  the  south  and  over  Nor  A  A  •  "7^''-?'^  y-^Toyc,  decreasing  in 
similar.  They  are  endowed  vvi.hlnj^'"!';''^''-  ^"  '^'™''  *"  ^''^  members  are 
stout  make,  Jd  iradditr,„  thfcurSv  fonti?7n''  °'  '''^*"  '  "^'^  "'^  ^  '»'''^i'' 
using  their  bills  and  feet  to  disenffatp  Hp  C^  <•  '"i''  J""'^'"  scansorial  habits 
men!,  holding  their  food  °ke  a  S'  L,  thelf  tir"""  \  ^'  '°f  •''  ^,''''"  "'  '■""fi""' 
climbing  about  the  wires  of  tlfe  cage  *""''"'  '""^  "^^  "'^  ^a'"^  ""eans 

unfern""„ft  Saving^allr  of"lK  fr^  f'''  "-'  ^'  '"''^  -'"'^y,  I  am 
tinct,  and  I  have  been  to?cf  the  sa2fl  1""*/'°"?  ^nricrica.  Wilson  thinks  it  dis- 
have  the  authority  of  BmiaDate  X.h',"^  ''?'  '^•"'';:^°"-    O"  "•«  <''her  hand,  «^ 

species,  and  stated  that  kdI:°coSe  ably  i%t' K^^  '''!§ '^'^'^  ^'"^ 
compared  U  with  the  JL.  p?/rtop«-«acr.  mfd  „ot  J^.h  n  ^"^"P^'"^"-  "c  probably 
latter  it  is  identical.  Wi^L's  new  Mme?m,,=,  h  r  ""L  '^"™'-"'''/«.  ^vith  whicl 
of  Loxia  cunrirostra  murLe  restored  ,oThiVhfrH"'*'n^  "''n''"^'  '''"^  ">«  "«"«= 
reel  in  remarking,  that  "  the  vouni  m^lpl    1„  •  .  ^"J  ''"'*'°'  ^'"^^  ^'^^^  '''•'•o'-- 

much  resemble  tie  female."  ^tKi  !  '  th..  .^I'"^' '""'  ?'"?,'  °J''"  '''"'■'''  ^"v 
well  as  that  of  Pyrrlwlaenurlln^nrlJf'  ,  u®  7T"*?  "^  ''"  ""-'  Crossbills,  as 
Jose  their  red  colour  a    ttratanc;'^^^  ns  e^H    f"  °'' 'f^"  ^•'"^^^'ity  of  bi/ds, 

liancy  of  plumage.  The  fi^re  n^fJhirh^^.'r  L?.V  "'^  ^'"'""1'  ""  additional  bril- 
represents  a  voSng  bird  Z^out  o, L  S  «nH  h'  '  ^'''''  ^V'"","''^"  adult  male, 
remarkably  ffne  aault  m^le  ^      '  ^^  •"'  '"PP"'^**  '^""*'*'  (^'ff-  141)  -s  a 

bilUf-ESro'S  tSt^Tt^^.^::^''?'!^'^''''^^^^^^^^^  °^  ^■•^noumoA  Cross, 
a  ciroumstaU  I  shou  d  S  v'LTltelv  - 1  o'  TT''^''' 'T  "'"''""^i'}^ /"  America, 

point.     The  ha,m"s  of  our  comrnn         ^.P«''-™«»«  f™m  both  countries  decide  the 

Pine  forests,  where  theirci^frd,  tL"se:d"s"of  tho'^r  ""  ''''  T'^^"^''  """*'-" 
breeding,  they  annear  to  mlrrr^Vo  .  •  "'''  '"^  •""""^  5  '^°'n  'hence,  after 

small  flo^cks,  at  u,Ki„  in  S  ThisTsTho  P''"  "^'f^r^'^'  ">  comparativef; 
They  must  hatch  verj  ea  ly  arriWn J  In  .hL  ";  "".''  "l."'"  ^^'''•■''-  ^'^i'  ""'<''"'• 
females  at  that  time  boar  kll  The  Lt  "'^^'^"""".y  by  the  middle  of  June;  the 
authentically  proved  to  beednthi.^n,  '"'^"'>«"°»-  ''"I  l>ave  never  vet  been 

bareness  ofll/e  l.reas       tI^v    es  end   a  7h'et'"''P"'"'^  ''>'  ^l''  1^""?- from  the 

the^  do  considerable  damaje^  by   nhttin^    h.  n     f  'T°'\'  '°  •"'*'  •''•^''«^'^^'  ^^ere 

fniit  iic«!c-  -    !  •        "  "«'S<^,  ny  spiittmsf  the  annlcs  for  ilip  nm^  thii"  is-Tvintr  ik- 

u«e!e„,  .,.d  ,„capahie  or  lurther  growth  j   aHd.  at  the  same^iime/s^vinglts  a 


4,  \i 


W        1' 


292 


AMERICAN  CROSSBILL. 


the  husks  that  enclose  them,  we  are  obliged  to  confess,  on  this,  as  on 
many  other  occasions,  where  we  have  judged  too  hastily  of  the  opera- 
tions  of  Nature,  that  no  other  confomiation  could  have  been  so  excel- 
lentJy  a  lapted  to  the  purpose ;  and  tliat  its  deviation  from  the  common 
form,  instead  of  being  a  defect  or  monstrosity,  as  the  celebrated 
French  naturalist  insinuates,  is  a  striking  proof  of  the  wisdom  and 
kind,  superintending  care  of  the  gioat  Creator. 

This  species  is  a  regular  inhabitant  ol  almost  all  our  pine  forests 
situated  north  of  40°,  from  the  beginning  of  September  to  the  middle 
of  April.    It  is  not  improbable  that  some  of  tliem  remain  diiring  sum- 
mer within  the  territory  of  the  United  States  to  breed.    Their  num- 
bers must,  however,  be  comparatively  few,  as  I  have  never  yet  inet 
with  any  of  tliem  in  summer;  though  lately  I  took  a  journey  to  tiie 
Great  Pine  Swamp  beyond  Pocano  Mountain,  in  Northampton  county, 
Pennsylvania,  in  the  month  of  May,  expressly  for  chat  purpose  ;  and 
ransaclied,  for  six  or  seven  days,  the  gloomy  recesses  ot  tliat  exten- 
sive and  desolate  morass,  without  being  able  to  discover  a  single 
Crossbill.    In  fall,  however,  as  well  as  in  winter  and  spring,  this  tract 
appears  to  be  their  favorite  rendezvous  ;  particularly  about  the  head 
waters  of  the  Lehigh,  the  banks  of  the  Tobyhanna,  Tunkhannock,  and 
Bear  Creek,  where  I  have  myself  killed  them  at  these  seasons     They 
Uien  appear  in  large  flocks,  feeding  on  the  seeds  of  the  hemlock  and 
white  pine,  have  a  loud,  sharp,  and  not  unmusical  note ;  chatter  as 
thev  fly ;  alight,  du.ing  the  prevalence  of  deep  snows,  before  the  door 
of  the  hunter,  and  around  the  house,  picking  off  the  clay  with  which 
theloijs  are  plastered,  and  searching  in  corners  where  urine,  or  any 
substance  of  a  saline  quality,  had  been  thrown.     At  such  times  they  are 
so  tame  as  only  to  settle  on  the  roof  of  the  cabin  when  disturbed,  and 
a  moment  after  descend  to  feed  as  before.    They  are  then  easily 
caught  in  traps  ;  and  will  frequently  permit  one  to  approach  so  near  aa 
to  knock  them  down  with  a  stick.    Those  killed  and  opened  at  sucli 

ffood  instance  of  (he  power  of  their  bills.    Some  old  writers  accuse  Ihcm  of  visiting 
Worcester  ami   Herefordshire,  "  in  great  tlocks,  for  the  sake  of  the  seeds  of  the 
apple     Rcnencd  persecution  ou  this  account  perhaps  lessened  their  numbers  and 
Sdeprciuions  kt  the  present  day  are  unnoticed  or  unknown  : ;'  thc>r  y.s. tat  on  , 
itleast  arc  less  frequent ;   for  a  later  writer  in  Loudon's  Magazme  observer   that 
821   and  the  commencement  of  1822,  (the  same  season  ol  tl.ejr  great  appearance 
entr<'nedhy  Mr.  Selby,)  a  large  «ock  of  Crossbills.frequcnled  some  hr  K  "ves  at 
Cohordge/nearVVorcester,  wfiere  they  used  to  v.sit  t>e  same  spot  protiy  rc-u- 
arl  V  twice  a  day,  delighting  chiefly  on  the  Weymouth  pmes.    Whnn  feedmg,  they 
seeri^'his  couitry,  as  well  as  with  our  author,  to  be  remarkably  tame,  or  so 
much  eng?^sed  wit^'their  food,  as  to  be  unmindful  of  danger.    Monta.gue  r^ales 
Zla  bi?.l-ca(cher  at  Bath  had  taken  a  hundred  pmrs  m  the  month  of  June  and 
Jdy  rai  ;  and  so  intent  were  these  birds  when  picking  out  the  seeds  of  a  cone 
that  hey  would  suffer  themselves  to  he  caught  with  a  ha,r  noose  at  the  end  of  a 
long  fislLg-rod.    In  1821,  this  country  wa^  v.s.ted  w.th  large  fl"<-ks  i»l'cy  ap- 
peared in  Tlune,  and  gradually  movo.l  northward,  as  they  were  observed  by  Mr. 
K  in  September  among  tL  fir  tracts  of  Scotland,  after  they  had  rfi-;«PP<;«;cd 'o 
The  «o.  hward  of  the  River  Tweed.     In  1828    a  pretty  large  flock  v,, ted  the 
viciniU'  of  Ambleside,  Westmoreland.    Their  favorUe  haunt  was  a  P'antat.on  of 
young  arches,  where  they  might  be  seen  disponing  almost  every  day.  part.cular.y 

between  the  hours  of  eleven  and  one.  „..,  m     a „o„ 

I  haVe  quoted  no  synonymes  which  belong  to  our  Bnt.sh  spec.es.  The  American 
birds  »,pear  to  mc  much  smaller ;  that  is,  to  .judge  from  our  author's  plate,  and  the 
tuuaiy  correct  drawings  of  Mr.  Audubon.  —  Eu. 


AMERICAN  CROSSBILL 


293 


kS  nf  n^!?"^"]"  *^"",il°  ^"^"^  ^^^  ^t"'"^^^  filled  With  a  soft,  greasy 
kind  of  earth  or  clay.  When  kept  in  a  cage,  they  have  manv  ff  S 
habite  of  tl)e  Parrot;  often  climbing  along  the  wiresTand  usmg  the  r 
feet  to  grasp  the  cones  in,  while  taking  out  the  seeds.  ^ 

Uu.tZ/.'n''  'l""^'^'  '"  ^?,""'^  '"  N«^'^  Scotia,  and  as  far  north  as 
^nTZr     r^'  ""f"'"^  "^  ^^^^'•"  ^''"^^  -^bout  the  latter  end  ot"  May 
am,  according  to  accounts,  proceeding  farther  north  to  breed     IHs' 

IlloL  trT^'i'}."'  "'^'^  '^^"'•"  '^^^he  first  setting  in  of  frost" 
thP  F,So  ''•  ^^'V''"  "1"=^^'  l'^^"  considered  a  mere  variety  of 

the  European  npecies ;  though  differing  from  it  in  several  resnects 

tion  oTZmlnVSw  T'  ^f  f^°"^h  *^«  singuTar  coTfSa-' 

of  the  ,ui  sho!ld;iL^^rcaMS,CrcritSl^t;  S^S 

he^two'  thev  Ct/.  "■■  (Pr'^P^'  conceiving  themselves  tie  wise?  of 
me  two,  they  have  thought  proper  to  associate  togetlier  what  Nature 
has,  m  the  most  pomted  manner,  placed  apart 

in]"thpr'''*'"^f^''T^''"*^l'*''''""^°'«'^™'n  the  Grosbeaks,  and  class- 
ing them  as  a  nimily  by  themselves,  substituting  the  specific  forTe 

tlfar^'eaTSZl  '  "T  ""'^  ^""""^'^  *^«  «^«P^  ^"^  ^fcMes  of 
A  ^,1,     0"S^r''  '''l'"^^  arrangements   ought  never  to  be  disre- 
garded by  any  who  would  faiUifuUy  copy  her. 

I  he  Crossbills  are  -subject  to  considerable  changes  of  color-  the 
young  males  of  the  present  species  being,  during'Se  first  se^on 
olive  yellow,  mixed  with  a:sh ;  then  bright  freenish^Vellow,  nterSd 
with  spots  of  dusky  obve,  all  of  which  ydlow  plumage  beco™in 

t  Srilor^WL'n^^'f'l'''^""^  ^'  ^'^^'^  of  Sie  teilTnclii" 
mg  to  yellow.  When  confined  in  a  cage,  they  usually  lose  tlie  red 
color  at  the  first  moulting,  that  tint  changing  to  a  browS  yellow 

SI  P"'T  Pfr"'>  J^«  «^™«  circumstance  happens  to  the 
1  urple  Finch  and  Pme  Grosbeak,  both  of  which,  when  in  confinement 

ySt^-^LTLveS^^  '''  ^  ""'""'y  ^^'^  «*■  lightX"oa 

yellow,  as  i  have  had  frequent  opportunities  of  observing. 

Ihe  male  of  this  species,  when  in  perfect  plumage,  is^five  inches 
in f  '^"^''"■'  ^e"^'  ^""^^^^^^  ^"°1^««  in  extent  the  bin  is  a 
^vZ.  tir  ^°S'i  '^'^P'  ^"'^  «ingle-ed?ed  towards  'the  extremity* 
where  the  mandibles  cross  each  other;  tie  general  color  of  the  plu- 
mage IS  ared-lead  color,  brightest  on  the  rump,  generally  intermked 
on  the  other  parts  with  touches  of  olive;  wings  and  tail,  b^rown Tkck, 
the  latter  forked,  and  edged  with  yellow;  legs  and  feet,  brown  ;  claws 
large  much  curved,  and  very  sharp;  vent,  white,  streaked  with  dS 
color    eehaS         ""^  ^'^  recumbent  down,  of  a  pale  brown 

n  Jn  ^Hri"^^  t  '""^^^l  '^f  ^^^"^  ^}^  """l^  5  the  bill  of  a  paler  horn  color ; 
fnT^i  fi  I  ""^"^i!  u,°^  ^'^^^'  °f  ^«  tail,  golden  yellow;  wings  and 
S.  nl  .^';°^"^«^l'^k ;  the  rest  of  the  pHimage,  olive  yellow^mS 
with  ash ;  legs  and  feet,  as  in  the  male.  The  young  males,  during  the 
Efllf '?' """  »^,  "^""^l^^^th  most  other  birds,  very  much  resemblf  the 
female     In  moulting,  the  males  exchange  their  red  for  brownish  yel- 

low,  which  jrraduallv  briffhtflna  into  red     Vfnncp  »t  Hi«-« .t  -  A-' 

they  ditter  ^eatly  in  00!^:""  '  ^  '^'"^'"''^  ""-'^""^ 

25* 


4m, 


i  I 


204  WHITE-WINGED  CROSSBILL. 


WHITE-WINGED  CROSSBILL.  -  CURVIROSTRA 
LEU  COPTERA .  —  Fio .  142. 

Turton,  8yst.  i.  p.  515. 
lOXTA  LEVCOPTERjI.  —  auiiLtn.* 
Loxia  leucoptera,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  117. 
This  is  a  much  rarer  speciefl  than  the  preceding ;  though  found 
frequenting  the  same  place8::;nd  at  the  same  ^^^^j/^Sce  bid 
ever,  from  the  former  in  the  deep  black  wings  and  Uil,  the  large  Dea 
Twhiteon  the  wing,  the  dark  crimson  ^f  J.^l.^y^^^^feJ    n 
and  more  slender  conformation  of  body.     The  bircl  represenitu    ii 
Sg.  ?42  w     sliot  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Great  Pine  Sw^"'P>  ^^ 
the   moMth  of   September,  by  my   friend   Mr.  Ainsley,  a  German 
naturalist  collector  in  this  country  for  the  emperor  of  Austria.    The 
?nSua    of  this   species  mentioned  by  Turton  and  Latham,   had 
evSy  been  shot  ?n  monlting  time.    The  present  specimen  was  a 

^l^il^wKJ^^S^cSKfive  inches  and  a  quarter  loiig^  and 
eiciit  indies  and  a  quarter  in  extent;  wings  and  tail,  deep  black,  the 
forme  cossed  with  two  broad  bars  of  white;  general  color  of  the 
Surname  dark  crimson,  partially  spotted  with  dusky  ;  lores  and  front  et, 
narbSvn  vent,  white  streaked  with  black ;  bill,  a  brown  horn  color, 
ff  mSiercrossing  each  other  as  in  the  F^jf '"f  f  PT^^i^ 
lower  sometimes  bending  to  the  right,  sometimes  to  tj«  J^  "^"f '^ 
to  the  left  in  the  male,  and  to  the  right  in  the  female,  of  the  Anie^an 
Crossbill.  The  female  of  the  present  species  will  be  >n*'?'*"ff  J,^^^ 
soon  as  a  good  specimen  can  be  obtained,  with  such  addiUonal  facta 
relative  to  their  manners  as  may  tiien  be  ascertained. 


mwmmmmM 


cies 
these 

tain  ponocfs  and  in  various  a^^^^^^f  3^^ '^^^^^li;."  n^;;;aylMricoked  upon 

ig  found  in  another 

ts  Irom  tne  minuie-oooK  ui  u.,;  .......»"..-•-_  ;;'^°',,      '     ■j-yjl 

_.......--  nf  OranffOffrove,  near  Bcllasl,  m  a  IcUer  to  Mr.  Uawsoii  lur 

TempIeton.A.L^S    of  Oangcgro^^,.^^^.^      J  ^^  U^ia  falctrostra  of 

?^hL,^^'s«i    two  n>iles  ,of  ;^c}^..  in  the  ^^^^^^^^i^^'^J^ 
was  a  female,  and  pcffec'ly  rf  st'^Wed  the  hg^^^^^^^  as  a  British 

the  specific  name  of  leuc  ^-^.era.  —Ed. 


WIIITE-CROWNED  BUNTING. 


205 


WHITE-CROWNED    BUNTING. -EMBERIZA    LEUCOPHRYS 

—  Fio.  143. 

Turton,  8yst.  p.  S36 — Peak's  Museum,  No.  6687. 

ZOM-OTRICHIA  LEaCOPHRrS.-Sm Atntos. 

Fringilla  Icucophrys,  Bonap.  Synop.n^  107.-Frinffilla  (Zonotrichia)  leucophrys, 

Jyorth.  Zool.  ii.  p.  256. 

fho^n  ^^?2?^""^;'""^'"'.^P^'''*'''  ^^  «"«  «^  the  rarest  of  its  tribe  in 
the  United  States,  being  chiefly  confined  to  the  northern  districts,  or 
higher  interior  parts  ot  tho  country,  except  in  severe  winters,  when 
some  few  wanderers  appear  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  state  of  Pennsyl- 
w'!l'l!'**fK  fl  J^""  specimens  of  this  bird,  the  only  ones  I  have  yet  met 
with  the  first  was  caught  m  a  trap  near  the  city  of  New  York,  and 
lived  with  me  several  months.    It  Ld  no  song,  and,  as  I  afterwards 

by  Mr.  M  chael  of  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania.    The  tfiird,  a  male,  and 

of  m3  ?n/  "  f  ^f.';^  l"^  '^°*  '"  *^^  ^'""^  P'"^  ^''^^'"P'  i"  the  month 
of  May,  and  18  faithfully  represented  in  Fig.  143.    It  appeared  to  me 

to  be  unsuspicious  silent,  and  solitary  ;  flitting  in  short  flights  among 
the  underwood  and  piles  of  prostrate  trees,  torn  up  by  a  tornado,  that 
some  years  ago  passed  through  the  swamp.  All  my  endeavors  to  dis- 
cover the  female  or  nest  were  unsuccessful. 

Prom  the  great  scarcity  of  this  species,  our  acquaintance  with  its 
manners  is  but  very  limited.  Those  persons  who  have  resided  near 
S"w  L  ^^'iT^f  ^  '\  is  common,  inform  us,  that  it  makes  its  nest 
m  June  at  the  bottom  of  willows,  and  lays  four  chocolate-colored  eggs. 
Its  flight  ,8  said  to  be  short  and  silent;  but,  when  it  perches,  it  sincrs 
very  melodiously.*  *^  '  =" 

•  '^^?  White-crowned  Bunting  is  seven  inches  long,  and  ten  inches 
in  extent;  the  bill,  a  cinnamon  brown;  crown,  from  the  front  to  the 
hind  head,  pure  white,  bounded  on  each  side  by  a  stripe  of  black 
proceeding  from  each  nostril ;  and  these  again  are  bordered  by  a  strine 
of  pure  white  passing  over  each  eye  to  the  hind  head,  where  they 
meet;  below  this,  another  narrow  stripe  of  black  passes  from  the  pos- 
terior angle  of  the  eye,  widening  as  it  descends  to  the  hind  head :  chin, 
white  ;  breast,  sides  of  the  neck,  and  upper  parts  of  the  same,  ven^ 
pale  ash;  back,  streaked  laterally  with  dark  rusty  brown  and  pale 
bluish  white;  wings,  dusky,  edged  broadly  with  brown;  Uie  greater 
and  lesser  coverts  tipped  broadly  with  white,  fom  ing  two  handsome 
bands  across  the  wing;  tertials,  black,  edged  with  brown  and  white; 
rump  and  tail-coverte,  drab,  tipped  with  a  lighter  tint;  tail,  long 
rounded,  dusky,  and  edged  broadly  with  drab  ;  belly,  white ;  vent,  pale 
yellow  ochre ;  legs  and  feet,  reddish  brown  ;  eye,  reddish  hazel ;  lower 
eyelid,  white. 

The  female  may  easily  be  distinguished  from  the  male,  by  the  white 

*  Arctic  Zoolosv. 


896 


PAY-WINGEP  nUNTINCS. 


on  the  head  being  In  «  pure,  tho  black  al.o  lels  in  extent,  and  the  asll 
on  the  breast  darker :  she  w  also  smaller  in  size, 
""•riere  iraconBidemblo  resemblance  between  this  «?««»-  «nd  the 
White-tin-oato<l  Sparro«',  already  described  in  tins  work.  Yet  they 
Svassodate  togcU.cr;  U.e  latter  remaining  m  the  lower  parts  of 
P^ni^Xr  in  gTeat  numbers,  until  the  be.rinning  of  May  when 
STev^etirc  to  the  north  ^nd  to  the  high  inlan.f  regions  to  breed ;  the 
fonLr  LKgrnuch  more  northern  countries,  and,  tho«|rh  Baid  to 
be  comi^n  in  cfanada,  rarely  visiting  this  part  of  the  United  State,. 


BAY-WINGED  BUNTING  — EMBERIZA  GRAMINEA.- 

Fio.  144. 

GraM  Finch,  Arct.  Zocl.  No.  253.  -  Lath.  iii.  273.  -  Turtan,  8y>t.  i.  p.  666. 

ZOU'OTRWUIA  ORJlMlJVEJl.—BWAi«>on. 

Fringilla  gra^iaea,  Bona,.  S^J. ^.m.-Tr^^.  (ZonoUichia)  .ra.inea, 

The  manners  of  this  bird  bear  great  affinity  to  those  of  the  Common 
Bunting  of  Britain.  It  delights  in  frequcntmg  grass  and  clover  fields, 
JerSon  r  tops  of  the  fences,  singing,  from  the  middle  of  April  to 
Se  beffinning  of  July,  with  a  clear  and  pleasant  note,  m  which  par- 
SfuKff  excels  ite  European  relation.  It  is  partially  a  bird  of 
SaVhere,  some  leaving  us,  and  others  remaining  with  us  during 
Efwfnter.  In  the  montli  of  March  I  observed  them  numerous  in  the 
lower  parts  of  Georgia,  where,  accordmg  o  Mr.  Abbot,  tfiey  arc  ordy 
winter%isitant8.  they  frequent  the  middle  of  ««  J«  «^«>«  ^^ 
hedges  or  thickets;  run  along  the  ground  like  ^Lark,  ^lich  ti..y 
also  resemble  in  the  great  breadth  of  their  wings.  They  are  timid 
birds,  and  rarely  approach  the  farm-house.  «  u  „„,i 

Their  nest  is  built  on  the  ground,  in  a  grass  or  clover  field,  and 
formed  of  old  withered,  leaves  and  dry  g™«?'  ^J.,"  n'' he  S 
The  iemale  lays  four  or  five  eggs,  of  a  grayish  whi  e  On  the  first 
week  in  May,  I  found  one  of  their  nests  with  four  young,  from  which 
Scuiistance  I  think  it  probable  tliat  they  raise  two  or  more  broods 

"*This  S^m^cS^r^es  five  inches  and  three  quarters  in  length,  and  ten 
inches  and  a  half  in  extent ;  the  upper  parts  are  cmereous  brown,  inot- 
tled  with  deep  brown  or  black;  lesser  wing-coverts,  b"ght  bay, 
greater  black,  edged  with  very  pale  brown;  wings,  dusky,  edged  with 
C'SeexteX%rimaxy7e4ed  with  white;  tan^ 
tlie  outer  feather  white  on  the  exterior  edge,  and  tipped  ^^th  wlate , 
the  next,  tipped  and  edged  for  half  an  incj  with  the  same  the  rest, 
dSkv  edeed  with  pale  brown;  bill,  dark  brown  above,  pa  er  below ; 
S  Sfeye  Ta  narrow  circ'le  of  white ;  upper  part  of  the  breas^ 
yeC^h  white,  thickly  streaked  with  pointed  spots  of  black  tha  pass 


id  the  a»ll 

s  and  the 
Yet  they 
r  parts  of 
ay,  when 
reed ;  the 
;h  said  to 
ed  States. 


EA.— 


i.  p.  666. 


frrammea, 

e  Common 
over  fields, 
of  April  to 
which  par- 
a  bird  of 
us  during 
reus  in  the 
y  are  only 
more  than 
vhich  tliey 
r  are  timid 

r  field,  and 
with  hair. 
)n  the  first 
from  which 
[lore  broods 

jth,  and  ten 
)rown,  inot- 
iright  bay; 
edged  with 
-cuneiform, 
with  white ; 
e;  the  rest, 
laler  below ; 
'  the  breast, 
ck  tha  pass 


^s, 


^'i, 


H 


m. 


ffm?Wii  H^ 


1 

1 

1 

8NOW  OWL 


•7 


donff  the  mdos  ;  b  fly  and  vont,  a-into  ;  loga  and  ioet,  flush  colorfl,!  • 


SNOW  OWL.-8TRIX   NYCTEA.-Fio.  145. -Mali. 

F  o^.       i-tem.  nr.  Amm.  p.  68.  -  Bmuip.  Sijnop.  p.  rxj.  _  Kortk.  Zool.  ii.  p.  88. 

«,3""  ^?u*  ""^^^fn  !»""ter  inhabits  the  coldest  and  most  drearv 
regions  of  the  northern  hemisphere  on  both  continents  m  SS 
mountains  of  Greenland,  covered  with  eternal  ice  u.S  snows  where 

almos  be  expected  to  reign,  furnish  food  and  shelter  to  thi"  hS 
adventurer;  whence  he  is  only  driven  by  the  extreme  severity  of 
weather  towards  the  sea-shore.  He  is  found  in  Lapland,  Norwn  and 
the  country  near  Hudson's  Bay,  d-ing  the  whole  year;  is  s^d  u  be 
common  in  Siberia,  and  numero.  Kamtschatka/  H^  is  often  n^eS 
in  Canada  and  the  northern  disti  of  the  Unitofl  StntP«  1  wi  „ 
times  extends  his  visits  to  the  bo^yrs  oV  £idl''''Kre"e"e; 
provident,  has  so  effectually  secured  th,.  bird  from  t'     attacks  of  ccdd 

£  ..a     '  P°7V^t'*^  '^P'^^'^-    '^^^  •'i"  i«  Hlmost  compleS 

h  ''         ag  a  umsfl  of  feathers  tliat  cover  tho  face ;  the  legs  are  clothed 

n^X'^ni  r  "*"^T"""  «fJ«"?.  thick,  hair-like  plumagf  as  to  appear 
near  y  as  large  as  tliose  of  a  middle-sized  do-r,  Nothing  bein^  vfsS 

Bharn''Th^l''^^"'■'  ^"f;  ^•J'^?!^' '"'"■''  hooked,\nd  extremely 
sharp.  The  whole  plu,.  ,ge  below  the  suriUce  is  of  the  most  exoui: 
sitely-soft,  warm  ancf  elastic  kind,  and  so  closely  matted  toS  er  a2  to 
make  it  a  difficult  matter  to  penetrate  to  the  skin  ^ 

rhe  usual  food  of  this  species  is  said  to  !.e  hares,  grouse,  rabbits 
ducks,  mice,  and  even  carrion.  (T„Uke  most  of  his  ti^ibe,  he  hunts  bv 
day  as  well  as  by  twilight,  and  is  particular) v  fond  of  frequenUng  thJ 
shores  and  banks  of  shallow  rivors,  over  the  surface  of  which  he  sbw^y 
sails,  or  sits  on  a  rook  a  httle  raised  n!=  ,ve  the  water,  watching  for  fish 
These  he  seizes  with  a  sudd-^-  and  instantaneous  stroke  ofVe  foot 
seldom  missing  his  aim.    Ii,  .U..  more  southern  and  thickly  se3 

Oi^e^ftSaSI^SiS^i^^PP^-^'^  ^-''^^'-^^ 


SNOW  OWL. 

I  the  month  of  October,  I  met  v^J  ^^^.ZSS:^,^^^^ 
New  York  state,  a  little  ^^J^^p^^^J^^.'^^'f  S^  Lother,  w\ich  had 
At  Pittsburg,  in  the  "!«»*  of  February,  l  ^^  ^^  o,,^^ 

been  shot  in  the  wmg  some  tune  betore  m  i^^^  ^^  ^^^  ^^^^ 
called  Long  Reach  f  ""^jie  in  Ae  town  of  Cincinnati,  state 
recollected  to  have  ^^^".^^^"SJSie  roof  of  the  court-house,  and 
of  Ohio,  tw^  ^f  ^P^^^'"'^' "Kop?e  more  disposed  to  superstition 
alarmed  the  whole  town.  ..f  PJ^P^^n"^^  prognostication  from  their 
would  have  deduced  some  dire^orfortuna^^ 

selecting  such  a  place  ,  ^^tJ^^J'^  ^oi^eys,  was  at  length  effected, 
session  of  them,  which,  '^f  ^J.^L ^^"^  exam  ned,  when  on  my  way 

One  of  these  a  ft/^-^i^' J  q^^™  N^'^^^^^^^ 

through  that  place  to  Ne%>  Orleans     .^^  appeared  to  be  alto- 

I  metVith  a  large  a,nd  ^^y  bea«U^J^  V^^  ^^^.^^^  i 

gether  unknown  to  the  in^^^J^^^P^^f^Jern  shore  of  Maryland  shot  one 
lurprise.    A  person  living  on  the  eastern  suo  y      ^^^g.^^  ^^ 

oJLsc  hirdk  a  few  monthB  ago  a  fem^^^^^^ 
skin,  brought  it  to  PhiladeljAia,  to  M^^^^  ^.^^^^  ^^^ 

of  a  ereat  reward.    I  have  exammea  l  ^j.  ^j^^ 

Lse^een  montlis  last  f ^t^ei^  fkri^^^^^^^^  ^"^'^«  ^'^"'"'^  , 

country,  all  of  which  were  shot  ^^^f^^'^^'^^^lrtain  whether  any  remain 
early  in  spring ;  ««  ^^1^^  "  f Cr^j'^T^e  Un^^^d  States;  though  I 
during  summer  ^f  m  the  terriU«7  o    the  u^^  ^^  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^^ 

think  it  highly  probable  that  a  ^^^J^^        ^^.i^g  winter, 
inland  parts,  where  J^^y  .^/f^"^,°f„ftenor  concealment,  while  roaming 
The  color  of  this  bird  is  well  suitea  or  o  ^^^^  ^^^^ 

over  the  general  waste  "^/"^^^^^^^'^l^f.ks     Itsiearing  must  be  ex- 
8imilarto%hatof  someof  ourlar^^^^^^^^^  .,.      d  its 

quisite,  if  we  judge  from  ^Je  lar|eness  o^  adds  horror  even  to  the 

Itoi!:  :?  ^riSy^ '  hXr ^--  --^"-^  ^^^^^  °^  ^  '"^^ 

^"fc^lroF^his  species  ^-^r -^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
length,  and  four  feet  f;^,^"f„f  .^1  broTn    nterspersed;  eyes,  deep 
white,  with  a  few  small  dots  of  dull  ^rown  »        k        ^^^^^^  ^^  j^^ 
sunk  under  projecting  eyebrows  tfie  P  «^age  a un  _^  ^^^^^^^       ^^ 

fluted  or  Fe«fdin,to  admj.  drect«,  b     ^^  ^^,  ^^^^  ^^    ^^^^ 
covering  nearly  the  whole  bi» ;  th.  moes  ^ionate  smallness 

golden  yellow,  and  the  ^^""^^Sr^w'TnrcoLavity  of  the  plumage 
of  the  head,  projection  «f«ve  eyebrow  ^^  ^^  ^^ 

^ent  .^glnerluoffita^^^^^^^^  ^--^  ^^^^^  «^ 

.  P.ba,..y  it  n.ay  not  be  generally  known  to  na..£.s  ^^^T^,^^^^^^ 
ol\  It ixstridL)  is  in  the  hab.t,  "'^F^X^ijXub  1  Some  years  since,  sev- 
live  f  sh  -  a  fact  which  I  have  nscerlatncl  beyond  cUk.d  yew-tree,  in  the  rectory 
^^•^1  voun-  Owls  were  taken  from  the  ne^'/^'lP^'pa.'dly  brought  them  hve  hsh, 
'^:lC^erS   Inthissiluation  thep-n  b.^^^^^^^^^  ^ad  doubles. 

Bull-heads,  {Coa,n  gohhius)  and  loach,  lt,oo  species  abound.    S'""'"^/ 

tomeii  to  feed  tixm."— KR- 


SNOW  OWL. 

pale  brown  above,  and  with  semicircular  dashes  below;  femoral  feath- 
ers, long,  and  legs  covered,  even  c/er  the  claws,  with  long,  shaggy, 
hair-hke  down,  of  a  dirty  white ;  the  claws,  when  exposed,  appear 
large,  much  hooked,  of  a  black  color,  and  extremely  sharp  pointed ; 
back,  white  ;  tail,  rounded  at  the  end,  white,  slightly  dotted  with  pale 
brown  near  tlie  tips ;  wings,  when  closed,  reach  near  tlie  extremity  of 
the  tail ;  vent-feathers,  large,  strong-shafted,  and  extending  also  to 
the  pomt  of  the  tail ;  upper  part  of  the  breast  and  belly,  plain  white : 
body,  very  broad  and  flat 

The  female,  which  measures  two  feet  in  length,  and  five  feet  two 
inches  in  extent,  is  covered  more  thickly  with  spots  of  a  much  darker 
color  than  those  on  the  male ;  tlie  chin,  throat,  face,  belly,  and  vent, 
are  white ;  femoral  feathers,  white,  long,  and  shaggy,  marked  with  a 
few  heart-shaped  spots  of  brown ;  legs,  also  covered  to  the  claws  with 
long,  white,  hairy  down ;  rest  of  the  plumage,  white,  every  feather 
spotted  or  barred  with  dark  brown,  largest  on  tlie  wing-quills,  where 
they  are  about  two  inches  apart ;  fore  part  of  the  crown,  thickly 
marked  with  roundish,  black  spots  ;  tail,  crossed  with  bands  of  broad, 
brownish  spots  ;  shafts  of  all  the  plumage,  white  ;  bill  and  claws,  as 
in  the  male,  black  ;  third  and  fourth  wing-quill,  tlie  longest ;  span  of 
the  foot,  four  inches. 

Prom  the  various  individuals  of  these  birds  which  I  have  examined, 
r  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  male  alone  approaches  nearly  to 
white  in  his  plumage,  the  female  rarely  or  never.  The  bird  from 
which  Fig.  145  was  drawn  was  killed  at  Egg  Harbor,  New  Jersey,  in 
the  month  of  December.  The  conformation  of  the  eye  of  this  bird 
forms  a  curious  and  interesting  subject  to  the  young  anatomist.  The 
globe  of  the  eye  is  immovably  fixed  in  its  socket  by  a  strong,  elastic, 
hard,  cartilaginous  case,  in  form  of  a  truncated  cone  ;  this  case,  being 
closely  covered  with  a  skin,  appears,  at  first,  to  be  of  one  continued 
piece ;  but,  on  removing  the  exterior  membrane,  it  is  found  to  be 
fonned  of  fitleen  pieces,  placed  like  the  staves  of  a  cask,  overlapping 
a  little  at  the  base,  or  narrow  end,  and  seem  as  if  capable  of  being 
enlarged  or  contracted,  perhaps  by  the  muscular  membrane  with 
which  they  are  encased.  In  five  other  different  species  of  Owls, 
which  I  have  since  examined,  I  found  nearly  the  same  confonnation 
of  this  organ,  and  exactly  the  same  number  of  staves.  The  eye  being 
thus  fixed,  these  birds,  as  they  view  different  objects,  arc  always 
obliged  to  turn  tlie  head ;  and  Nature  has  so  excellently  adapted  their 
neck  to  this  purpose,  that  they  can,  with  ease,  turn  it  round,  without 
moving  the  boa} ,  in  almost  a  complete  circle.* 

*  In  prefixing  Ihe  generic  appellations  to  this  curious  family,  1  must  at  once 
confess  my  inability  to  do  it  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  myself.  They  have  been 
yet  comparatively  unstudied  ;  and  the  organs  of  greatest  importance  have  been 
seemingly  most  neglected.  Neither  my  own  collection,  nor  ihose  accessible  in 
Britain,  contain  suiticient  materials  to  decide  upon.  I  will,  therefore,  consider  any 
attempt  now  to  divide  them,  in  the  words  of  Mr.  Swainson,  '•  as  somewhat  specula- 
■ive,  and  certainly  not  warranted  by  any  evidence  that  lias  yet  been  brought  for- 
A^ard  on  the  subject."  The  names  are  applied,  then,  on  the  authority  of  ornitholo- 
gists of  high  standing. 

This  Owl,  and  some  others,  will  form  the  genus  Noctua  of  Savigny  and  Cuvier, 
and  are  closely  allied  to  the  Surma  of  Dumeril.  In  fact,  the  characters  of  the  lat- 
ter appear  to  me  to  ajree  better  than  tho-se  of  Norttut ;  sr.d  Lcsst/n  says    "  Les 


fii 


300 


ABIERICAN  SPARROW  HAWK. 


AMERICAN  SPARROW  HAWK.-FALCO  SPARVERICS— 

Fio.  146.  — Male. 

Little  Hawk  Arct.  Zool.  211,  No.  110.-EineriHon  de  Cayenne^i.  i.281. 
LitUe  "»]^^'^"no  4M.-L(KA.  i.  WO.- PeaU's  Museum,  No. 540. 

FJILCO  SPARVERIUS.  —  Utivm.vt. 
Fa.co  spa^veHus,  Bona.  I^^;^-^!:'^ '^r^"^'  "'"'  '""^■"'"^^' 

Thb  female  of  this  species  has  heen  already  figured  and  described 
at  page  iTl  of  Ais  wor^  As  tliey  difier  considerab  y  in  the  mark- 
S^of  their  plumage,  the  male  is  introduced  here,  (F,g.  146.) 

K  male  Sparrow  Hawk  measures  about  ten  mcVs  m  lenrth,  and 
twenty-one  in  extent;  the  whole  upper  parte  of  the  head  are  of  a  fine 
skte  Blue  the  shafts  of  the  plumage  being  black,  the  crown  excepted, 
whSh  is 'marked  with  a  spot  of  bright  rufous;  the  slate  tapers  to  a 
Lint  oieS side  of  the  neck;  seven  black  spots  surround  the  head, 

called  Wapow-keethoo,  of  VVapanoo-,  oy  u:c  i^^^-.m,  •!-,  . .......t.-.--^-_~ .    - 

NonveKLemensgrUs  and  dysfugl ;  by  the  Swedes  Harfang. -TId. 


ARVERICS.— 


fenne.BuJf.  i.  291. 


,  No.  340. 


jittle  Rusty-crowned 

•ed  and  described 
bly  in  the  maxk- 
Pig.  14a) 
les  in  length,  and 
lead  are  of  a  fine 
3  crown  excepted, 
!  slate  tapers  to  a 
urround  the  head, 
also  borders  e"  I: 
id  under  the 

lettes."  The  Snowy 
ictive  than  the  nighi- 
head  is  less ;  the  tail 
I  rigid.  It  appears  to 
is  found  in  the  coldest 
h  beyond  the  Asiatic 
dd  turn  out  the  same 
land  by  Mr.  Bullock, 
of  Britain  are,  again, 
•ord  is  that  of  a  male 
ary,  1823,  — a  winter 
I  an  open  moor,  in  a 
;en  perched  upon  the 
V  form  beautiful  speci- 

0  the  dwellings  of  the 
after  moles  and  lem- 
looked  upon  with  su- 
3  the  grunting  of  pigs, 
be  some  apparition  or 

1  to  watch  the  Grouse 
.  On  such  occasions, 
wn,  and  carries  it  off 
(wiiig  remarks  by  Dr. 
)f  the  arctic  lands  that 
it  preys,  to  more  shel- 
seen  it  on  the  barren 
I  up,  it  alighted  again 
cached  with  difficulty, 
pursue  the  American 
til  its  fee'      In  wiater, 

Fur  CoUi..ries  esteem 
Ihe  Cree  Indians  it  is 
Onnkoe^suBk;  by  the 
arfang.  —"Ed. 


AMERICAN   SPARROW  HAWK. 


301 


chin,  and  throat,  white;  femoral  and  vent-feathers,  yellowish  white- 
the  rest  of  the  lower  parts,  of  the  same  tint,  each  feather  being 
streaked  down  the  centre  with  a  long  black  drop;  those  on  the  breast 
slender,  on  the  sides,  larger ;  upper  part  of  the  back  and  scapulars, 
deep  reddish  bay,  marked  with  ten  or  twelve  transverse  waves  of 
black ;  whole  wing-coverts  and  ends  of  Uie  secondaries,  bright  slate, 
spotted  with  black;  primaries  and  upper  half  of  the  secondaries, 
black,  tipped  with  white,  and  spotted  on  their  inner  vanes  with  the 
same  ;  lower  part  of  the  back,  the  rump,  and  tail-coverts,  plain  bright 
bay  ;  tail  rounded,  the  two  exterior  feathers  whit6,  their  inner  vanes 
beautifully  spotted  with  black ;  the  next,  bright  bay,  with  a  broad 
band  of  black  near  its  end,  and  tipped  for  half  an  inch  with  yellowish 
white ;  part  of  its  lower  exterior  edge,  white,  spotted  with  black,  and 
Its  opposite  interior  edge,  touched  witli  white ;  the  whole  of  the  others 
are  very  deep  red  bay,  with  a  single,  broad  band  of  black  near  the 
end,  and  tipped  with  yellowish  white ;  cere  and  legs,  yellow ;  orbits, 
the  same ;  bill,  light  blue ;  iris  of  the  eye,  dark,  almost  black ;  claws, 
blue  black. 

The  character  of  tins  corresponds  with  that  of  the  female,  given  at 
large  in  page  171.  I  have  reason,  however,  to  beheve,  that  these 
birds  vary  considerably  in  the  color  and  markings  of  their  plumage 
during  the  first  and  second  years ;  having  met  with  specimens  every 
way  corresponding  with  the  above,  except  in  the  breast,  which  was  a 
plain  rufous  Avhite,  without  spots ;  the  markings  on  the  tail  also  differing 
1  little  in  different  specimens.  These  I  uniformly  found,  on  dissection", 
to  be  males ;  from  the  stomach  of  one  of  which  I  took  a  considerable 
part  of  the  carcass  of  a  Robin,  [Turdus  migrcOorius,)  including  the 
unbroken  feet  and  claws  ;  though  the  Robin  actually  measures  within 
Wf  an  inch  as  long  as  the  Sparrow  Hawk.* 

•^  Bonaparte  has  separated  the  small  American  Falcons  from  the  larger  kinds, 
ch»jacterizing  the  group  as  having  the  wings  shorter  than  the  tail,  tarsi  scutellaled: 
anflMr.  Swanison  says,  that  the  group  seems  natural,  differing  somewhat  in  their 
maltoers  from  the  larger  Falcons,  and  having  analogies  in  iheir  habiU  to  the  Shrikes. 
I  uS!''  ^°^^  '*'^^®  ^^^  !iSree.  It  is  long  smce  we  thought  the  general  form  and 
liabifiof  our  Common  Kestrel  —  analogous  to  Wilson's  bird  in  Europe  —  dilfered 
Irom^iose  of  the  true  Falcons,  as  much,  certainly,  as  Astur  does  from  Accijiiler, 
•  u  V  ^^°"'''  ^^  ""'y  ^y  subordinate  divisions.  The  maimer  of  suspending  itself 
ni  the  ir  is  exactly  similar  to  thnt  of  our  Windhover  ;  and  I  am  not  aware  that  this 
pecuhaimnnner  of  hunting  is  made  use  of  by  any  other  of  the  Falconidm,  with  the 
excepti*of  the  Kestrels,  that  is,  those  of  Europe  or  Africa,  F.  rupicola,  tinuncu- 
'0}<i^s,  afc.    The  true  Falcons  survey  the  ground  by  extensive  sweeps,  or  a  rapid 

f  ""'V^ooP  °^^  °"<'6  ""  their  prey  with  the  velocity  and  force  of  lightning;  tlio 
others  qufcily  watch  their  quarry  when  suspended  or  perched  on  a  bare  eminence 
or  tree  iiiWie  manner  described,  and  take  it  by  surprise.  Insects,  reptiles,  and 
sma  1  ainnWs  form  part  of  their  food  ;  and  to  the  old  falconisls  they  were  known 
by  the  nar^  of  "Ignoble."  The  whule  of  the  Kestrels  are  very  familiar,  easily 
Jihen  in  confinement  become  even  playful.  Their  great  breeding  place 
f\,  ^^TS  ''"'^'^•'■'o'hed  with  ivy,  and  fringed  with  the  various  wild  plants  incident  to 
the  diflerent  ttmes  ;  in  the  chinks  and  hearts  of  these  they  nestle,  often  in  security 
from  any  claiAierer  that  has  not  the  assistance  of  a  rope  ;  though  the  appearance 
ol  a  stranger  femediately  calls  forth  peculiarly  shrill  and  timid  notes  of  alarm. 
When  the  vouifcare  hatched,  and  partly  advanced,  they  may  be  seen  stretching  out 
Irom  their  hole  land,  on  the  appearance  of  Iheir  parent,  m\itual  greetings  are  heard, 
and  in  a  tone  atkice  different  from  those  before  mentioned.  Our  native  species, 
in  addiUou  to  ro<^,  delights  in  ruined  buildings  as  a  breeding  place      nd  it  is  re- 


JSliSLi 


\ 


2(> 


\ 


302 


ROUGH-LEGGED  FALCON. 


ROUGH-LEGGED  FALCON  —  FALCO  LAGOPUS.  — Fio.  147 

Arct.  Zool.  p.  200,  No.  9^.  — Lath.  i.  15.  —  Peale't  Museum,  No.  116. 

BUTEO  LAQOPVS.  —  Bechitkik  ? 

Rough-leeged  Falcon,  Mont.  Ornith.  Did.  Supp. —  Bew.  Br.  Birds,  Sui)p. — 
Rough-legged  Buzzard,  SelbyKs  Illitst.  Br.  Ornith.  i.  p.  20,  pi.  7.  —  Falco  laffo- 
pu8,  Temm.  Man.  i.  p.  66.  —  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  32.  —  Buteo  lagopiis,  Fleni.  Br. 
Anitn.  p.  54.  —  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  62. 

This  handsome  species,  notwithstanding  its  formidable  size  and  ap- 
pearance, spends  the  chief  part  of  the  winter  among  our  low  swamps 
and  meadows,  watching  for  mice,  frogs,  lame  ducks,  and  other  inglo- 
rious game.  Twenty  or  thirty  individuals  of  this  family  have  regularly 
taken  up  their  winter  quarters,  fur  several  years  past,  and  probably 
long  anterior  to  that  date,  in  the  meadows  below  this  city,  between 
the  Rivers  Delaware  and  Schuylkill,  where  they  spend  their  time  watch- 
ing along  Jthe  dry  banks  like  cats  ;  or  sailing  low  and  slowly  over  the 
surface  of  the  ditches.  Though  rendered  shy  from  the  many  attempts 
made  to  shoot  them,  they  seldom  fly  far,  usually  from  one  tree  to  another 
at  no  great  distance,  making  a  loud  squealing  as  they  arise,  something 
resembling  the  neighing  of  a  young  colt,  tliough  in  a  more  shrill  and 
savage  tone. 

The  bird  represented  in  Fig.  147  was  one  of  this  fraternity ;  anfl 
several  others  of  the  same  association  have  been  obtained  and  exanl- 
ined  during  the  present  winter.  On  comparing  these  with  Pennant's 
description,  referred  to  above,  they  correspond  so  exactly,  that  no  doubts 
remain  of  their  being  the  same  species.    Towards  the  beginning  of 

markahle,  lliat  perhaps  more  Kestrels  build  and  bring  to  maturity  their  young  in 
London,  than  in  any  space  of  the  same  dimensions  :  the  breeding-places  there  are 
the  belfries  tf  the  aifferent  churches,  whore  neither  the  bustle  beneath,  nor  xYi^  jingle 
of  the  bells  seems  to  have  any  effect  upon  them. 

We  have  u'e  Ibllowing  characteristic  observations  on  this  species  in  the  Northern 
Zoology :  — 

"  In  the  vicinity  of  Carlton  House,  where  the  plains  are  beautifully  ornamented 
by  numerous  small  clumps  of  aspens,  that  give  a  rich,  piotures'/ae  effect  to  Ike  land- 
scape, which  I  have  never  seen  equalled  in  an  English  park,  thi'i^small  Falcon  was  fre- 
quently discovered,  perched  upon  the  most  lofty  tree  in  the  clump,  silling  with  his 
eye  apparently  closed,  but,  neverthe'ess,  sufficiently  awake  to  what  was  going  on 
as  it  woulil  occasionally  evince,  by  suddenly  pouncing  upon  any  small  bird  thai 
happened  to  come  within  its  reach.  It  is  the  least  sny  of  iuiy  of  the  American 
Hfiwks  ;  and,  when  on  its  perch,  will  suffer  the  fowler  to  advance  to  the  foot  of  the 
tree,  provided  he  has  the  precaution  to  make  a  slow  and  devious  approach.  He  is 
not,  however,  unnoticed  ;  for  the  bird  shows,  by  the  motion  of  its  hcai,  that  he  is 
carefully  watching  his  manoeuvres,  though,  unless  he  walks  d'rectly  towards  it,  il 
is  not  readily  alarmed.  When  at  rest,  the  wings  are  closely  applied  to  the  sides, 
with  their  tips  lying  over  the  tail,  about  one  third  from  its  end  ;  and  the  tail  itself, 
being  closely  shut  up,  looks  long  and  narrow.  If  its  suspicion  be  excited,  it  raises 
and  depresses  its  head  quickly  two  or  three  times,  and  spreads  its  tail,  but  docs  not 
open  its  wings  until  the  instant  il  takes  its  flight.  The  individuals  shot  at  Carlioa 
House,  had  mice  and  small  birds  in  their  stomachs.  They  were  not  observed  by 
the  expedition  beyond  the  5llh  degree  of  latitude."  —  Ei). 


ROUGH-LEGGED  FAJCON. 


303 


April,  these  birds  abandon  this  part  of  the  country,  and  retire  to  tlie 
north  to  breed. 

They  are  common,  during  winter,  in  the  lower  parts  of  Maryland, 
and  numerous  in  tiie  extensive  meadows  below  Newark,  New  Jorbey  ; 
are  frequent  along  the  Connecticut  River ;  and,  according  to  Pennant, 
inhabit  England,  Norway,  and  Lapmark.  Their  flight  is  slow  and 
heavy.  Tiiey  are  often  seen  coursing  over  the  surface  of  the  mead- 
ows, long  after  sunset,  many  times  in  pairs.  Tiiey  generally  roost  on 
the  tall  detached  trees  that  rise  from  these  low  grounds ;  and  take 
their  stations  at  day-break,  near  a  ditch,  bank,  or  hay-stack,  for 
hours  together,  watching,  with  patient  vi<rilance,  for  the  first  un- 
lucky frog,  mouse,  or  lizard,  to  make  its  appearance.  The  instant  one 
ot  these  is  descried,  the  Hawk,  sliding  into  tlie  air,  and  taking  a  cir- 
cuitous course  along  the  surface,  sweeps  over  the  spot,  and  in  an  in- 
stant has  his  prey  grappled  and  sprawling  in  the  air. 

The  Rough-legged  Hawk  measures  twenty-two  inches  in  length, 
and  four  feet  two  inches  in  extent;  cere,  sides  of  the  mouth,  and  feet, 
rich  yellow ;  legs,  feathered  to  the  toes,  with  brownish  vellow  plumage, 
streaked  with  brown;  femorals,  the  same  ;  toes,  comparatively  short ; 
claws  and  bill,  blue  black;  iris  of  the  eye,  bright  amber;  upper  part 
of  tlie  head,  pale  ochre,  streaked  with  brown ;  back  and  wings,  choc- 
olate, each  featiier  edged  with  hright  ferruginous  ;  first  four  primaries, 
nearly  black  about  the  tips,  edged  externally  witli  silvery  in  some 
ights;    rest  of  the  quills,  dark  chocolate;  lower  side,  and  interior 
janes,  wiiite;  tail-covorts,  white;  tail,  rounded,  white,  with  a  broad 
l^nd  of  dark  brown  nearthe  end,  and  tipped  with  white  ;  body  below, 
M^  ^^^^^^  ^^S^^  yellow  ochre,  blotched  and  streaked  with  chocolate. 
V^at  constitutes  a  characteristic  mark  of  this  bird,  is  a  belt  or  girdle, 
oi  (sry  dark  brown,  passing  round  the  belly  just  below  the  breast,  and 
reading  under  the  wings  to  the  rump ;  head,  very  broad,  and  bill  un- 
''orrtnonly  small,  suited  to  the  humility  of  its  prey. 

TAj  female  is  much  darker,  both  above  and  btlow,  particularly  in 
the  bilt,  or  girdle,  which  is  nearly  black ;  the  tail-coverts  are  also 
spottev  with  chocolate  ;  she  is  also  something  larser.  * 

•n  ^"^""^  '''^'"^  (liflerent  form,  liuteo  has  been  now  adopted  for  the  Buzzards.  They 
will  also  Hiik  111  two  divisions ;  those  with  clothed,  and  those  with  bare  tarsi.  The 
Atnencanpocies  belonging  to  the  first,  will  be  our  present  one,  Wilson's  Falconiger, 
and  Audubjn's  F.  HarlauUA  to  the  second,  Wilson's  B.  borealis,  hyemalis,  and 
t.ne  commoijEuropear  Buzzard,  which  was  met  with  in  the  last  overland  arctic  ex- 
pedition. IV  Buzzards  are  slufrgish  and  inactive  in  their  habits  ;  their  bills,  feet, 
and  Claws,  c<niparatively  weak  ;  die  form  heavy,  and  the  plumage  more  soft  and 
downy,  as  if  a  smooth  flight  was  to  supply  in  pari  their  want  of  activity.  Their 
general  flight  i^in  sweeping  circles,  after  mounting  from  their  resting-place.  They 
watch  their  prej'  either  from  the  air,  or  on  some  tree  or  eminence,  and  sometimes 
pounce  upon  it  when  sailing  near  iho  ground.  When  .«atiated,  they  again  re- 
turn to  their  pefth,  and  if  undisturbed,  will  remain  in  one  situation  uiitirhunger 
again  calls  them  ^rth.  Our  present  species  is  one  of  the  more  active^  and  is  com- 
mon also  to  the  Euopean  continent.  In  Britain,  it  is  an  occasional  visitant.  They 
seem  to  appear  at  lyicertain  intcrva.s,  in  more  abundance  ;  thus,  in  1823,  I  received 
two  beauliful  specimens  from  East  Loiiiion  ;  and,  in  the  same  year,  two  or  three 
more  were  killed  on  \hat  coast.  Mr.  Selby  mentions,  that  in  the  year  1815,  North- 
umberland  was  visited  by  them,  ai:d  several  specimens  were  obtained.    He  re- 

t  See  (ie»:riptiui<  or  F,  JViger, 


I 


-mi, 


304  BARRED  OWL. 


BAREED  OWL -STRIX   NEBULOSA.  -  Fio.  148. 

Turton.  Syst.  169.^  Arct.  Zool.  p.  234,  No.  m.-LotA.  133.- Strixacclamalor, 
•"*       '  Yhe  WhootinK  Owl,  Bartram,  m.-FeaU's  Museum,  No.  464. 

STRIX  JfEBULOSJ.  —  Forstkr.* 
Lachouette  du  Canada,  rtJlula,)  Cuv.  Reffn.  Amm.  i.  p.  328-Strlx  nebujbsa, 
1.  p.  »).  — Sirix  nebulosa,  North.  Zool.  u.  p.  81, 

This  is  one  of  our  most  common  Owls.  In  winter  particularly,  it 
is  numerous  in  the  lower  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  among  the  woods 
that  border  the  extensive  meadows  of  Schuylkill  and  Delaware.    It  la 

marks  "Two  of  these  birds,  from  having  attached  themselvcL  to  a  neiKhboring 
marsh'  pa^s^d  under  my  frequent  observation.    Their  flight  was  smooth  but  slow 
and, Klike  that  of  ti.e  co'mmon  Buzzard ;  and  they  «?''^°'"  .'■„7';""^5.  "'f^^^y 
length  of  time  on  the  wing.    They  preyed  upon  wid  ducks  ^nd  other  b.rd^  frogs 
•in(f  mice  which  they  mostly  pounced  upon  on  the  ground."    Thev  appear  to  pre- J 
?er  treeXth^VbrJeding-plice,  whereas  rocks,  and  the  sides  of  cfecp  rav-n.s  are/ 
more  frlquenlly  selected'by  the  common  Buzzard.    No  instance  has  occurred  of/ 
their  breeding  in  this  country.    In  plumage  they  vary  as  much  PMhecommoy 
species,  the  color  of  the  upper  parts  feemg  cf  hghier  or  darker  shades  ;  the  brea^ 
sometimes  largely  patchecTwilh  deep  brown,  and  sometimes  entirely  of  that  colo^ 
a^d  the  white  lar  at  the  base  of  the  .ail,  though  always  present,  '^o   various  /■ 
mensions.    Dr.  Richardson  says  it  arrives  m  iRe  Fur  Countries  in  AH  and  Ma 
and  having  reared  its  young,  retires  southward  early  in  October,     ihey  weryi 
shy,  that  only  one  specimen  could  be  got  by  the  expedition.  —  Kd. 

*  Cuvier  places  t^is  bird  in  his  genus  Uula.  It  may  be  called  no^^lurnal  'h  , 
it  does  show  a  greater  facility  of  conducting  itself  dunng  the  day  than  the  ^L 
night-living  spelics,  and  will  approach  nearer  to  the  Tawny  Owl  "f  1"«  ^'jy 
thin  any  other;  indeed,  it  almost  seems  the  American  representative  of  that  fcies. 
The  Tawny  Owl,  though  not  so  abundant  has  the  very  same  manners  5  a^  when 
raised  from  its  dormitory  in  a  spruce  or  silver  fir,  or  holly,  or  oak  that  s''^*"'^^ 
its  leaves,  it  will  flit  before  one  %x  half  a  day,  moving  its  station  whenever<t  thinks 
the  aggressor  too  near.    It  does  not  utter  any  cry  during  flight. 

It  iTcommon  to  both  continents,  visiting,  however,  only  tlie  more  ""r**'?  P^"' 
of  the  European,  and  does  not  extend  so  generally  as  many  of  those  wlrch  mnaoii 

''^According  to  Mr.  Audubon,  this  Owl  was  a  most  abundant  visitor  vWs  various 
solitary  encampments,  often  a  most  amusing  one ;  «nd  by 'ess  accustor^d  trave'  e^^^ 
might  easily  have  been  converted  into  some  supposed  inhabitant  "^ ?,'°;'^.7„X°„d;, 
«  How  often,"  says  this  distinguished  ormlhologist,  "  when  snugl.  seUled  » 
the  lK,ughs  of  my  temporary  encampment,  and  preparing  to  ^o«stJ^*'r°"  '  S 
or  the  l^dy  of  a  squirrel,  on  a  woo{en  spit,  have  I  be_en  saluted  ^^'^ J*™,! 
bursts  of  liis  nightly  disturber  of  the  peace,  that,  had  it  not  ^e^  for  V"-^.^"^"^ 
have  prevailed  around  me,  as  well  as  in  my  lonely  retreat!  tf^^  f  «n  have  1 
seen  this  nocturnal  marauder  alight  withm  a  few  yards  «f  >"«' ^I^"^  "^T:.  be '^ 
body  to  the  glare  of  my  fire,  and  eye  me  in  such  a  curious  ^^nnf '  \'^?';  ^''^ '\  °^^" 
reasonable  to  do  so,  I  would  gladly  have  invited  h.m  to  ^^Ik  >nand  join  m^  m jn^^ 
repa«l  that  I  miffht  have  cnioycd  the  pleasure  of  forming  a  better  acquamiance 
wi';h  him  Th'lfveliness  of  lii.^  motions';  joined  to  their  "'I'lf  ^.'il^rv  oJ"  etuf! 
me  think  that  his  society  would  be  at  least  as  agreeable  as  that  of  many  ot  iiie  dui 
foons  we  meet  with  in  the  world.  Rut  as  such  opportunitie.  of  forming  acquam- 
lance  have  not  existed,  be  content,  kind  reader,  with  the  imperfect  informaUon 
which  I  can  give  you  of  the  habiu  of  this  Sancr.o  Panifa  o;  our  wooa,. 


BARRED  OWL 


905 


very  frequently  observed  flying  during  day,  and  certuinly  sees  more 
distinctly  at  that  time  than  many  of  its  genus.  In  ono  spring,  at  dif- 
ferent times,  I  met  with  more  than  forty  of  them,  generally  dying  or 

"  Such  persons  as  conclude,  when  looking;  upon  Owls  in  tlio  glare  of  day,  thai 
IJiey  are,  as  they  liicn  appear,  extremely  dull,  arc  greatly  mistaken.  Were  they 
to  stale,  like  Hullon,  that  Woodpeckers  are  mlscrablo  bemgs,  they  would  be  lalk- 
ing  as  Micorrectly ;  and,  to  one  who  might  have  lived  long  iu  the  woods,  they  would 
seem  lo  have  lived  only  in  their  libraries. 

"The  ISarrcd  Owl  is  found  in  all  those  parts  of  the  United  Slates  which  I  have 
visited,  and  is  a  constant  resident.  In  Louisiana,  it  seems  to  be  more  abundant 
than  in  niiy  other  slate.  It  is  almost  impossible  lo  travel  eight  or  leu  miles  in  any 
01  the  retired  wooas  there,  withoL'.  seeing  several  of  them  even  in  broad  day;  andf, 
at  the  approach  of  night,  their  cries  are  heard  proceeding  from  every  part  of  the 
lorest  around  the  plantations.  Should  the  weather  be  lowering,  and  indicalivo  of 
the  approach  of  ram,  their  cries  are  so  multiplied  during  the  day,  and  especially  in 
the  evening,  and  they  respond  to  each  other  in  tones  so  slrange,  that  one  might 
imngme  some  extraordinary  fete  about  to  lake  place  among  them.  On  approach- 
lilt  one  ol  them.  Us  gesticulations  are  seen  to  be  of  a  very  extraordinary  nature. 
1  he  position  ol  the  bird,  which  is  generally  creel,  is  immediately  changed.  It  low. 
ers  Its  head  and  inclines  its  body,  to  watch  the  motions  of  the  person  beneath ; 
throws  forward  the  lateral  feathers  of  its  head,  whicii  liius  has  the  appearance  of 
being  surrounded  b_>-  a  broad  ruff;  looks  towards  him  as  if  half  blind,  and  moves 
Its  lieaci  to  and  fro  m  so  extraordinary  a  manner,  as  almost  to  induce  a  person  to 
lancer  that  part  dislocated  from  the  body.  It  follows  all  the  molions  of  the  intruder 
with  Its  eyes ;  and  should  it  suspect  any  treacherous  intentions,  flies  ofl^  to  a  short 
distance,  alighting  with  its  back  lo  the  person,  and  immediately  turning  about  with 
a  single  jump,  to  recommence  its  scrutiny.  In  this  manner,  the  Barred  Owl  may 
bo  followed  to  a  considerable  distance,  if  not  shot  at ;  for  lo  halloo  after  it  docs  not 
seem  to  frighten  it  much.  But  if  shot  at  and  missed,  it  removes  lo  a  considerable 
^isiance,  afler  which,  its  whah-whah-whah  is  uttered  with  considerable  pomposity. 
Ihis  Owl  will  answer  the  imitation  of  its  own  sounds,  and  is  frequently  decoyed  by 
tins  means.  i        j  j        j 

"  The  flight  of  the  Barred  Owl  is  smooth,  light,  noiseless,  and  capable  of  beinff 
greatly  protrncled.  I  have  seen  them  take  their  departure  from  a  detached  grove 
in  a  prairie,  and  pursue  a  direct  course  towards  the  skirts  of  the  main  forest,  distant 
more  than  two  miles,  in  broad  daylight.  I  have  thus  followed  them  with  the  eye 
until  they  were  lost  in  the  distance,  and  have  reason  to  suppose  that  they  continued 
Uieir  flight  until  they  re  ched  the  woods.  Once,  whilst  descending  the  Ohio,  not 
tar  from  the  well-known  Cave-in-rock,  about  two  hours  before  sunset,  in  the  month 
of  November.  I  saw  a  Barred  Owl  teased  by  several  Crows,  and  chased  from  the 
tree  in  which  it  was.  On  leaving  the  tree,  it  gradually  rose  in  the  air,  in  ihe  man- 
ner of  a  Hawk,  and  at  length  attained  so  groat  a  lioiglii.  dial  our  party  lost  sight 
•  'I"  ^,n'  '"""ff*"'  as  if.it  had  lost  itself,  now  and  then  descnbing  small 
circles,  and  flapping  its  wings  quickly,  then  flying  in  zig/.ng  lines.  This  being  so 
uncommon  an  occurrence,  I  noted  it  down  at  the  time.  I  fell  anxious  to  see  the 
bird  return  towards  the  earth,  but  it  did  not  make  its  appearance  again.  So  very 
lightly  do  they  fly,  that  I  have  frequently  discovered  ono  passing  over  me,  and  only 
a  few  yards  distant,  by  first  seeing  its  shadow  on  the  ground,  during  clear  moonlight 
nights,  when  not  the  faintest  rustling  of  its  vvings  could  bo  heard. 

"  Their  power  of  sight  during  the  day  seems  lo  he  rather  of  an  equivocal  char- 
acter, as  I  once  saw  one  alight  on  the  back  of  a  cow,  which  it  left  so  suddcnl  y  after- 
wards, when  the  cow  moved,  as  to  prove  lo  me  that  it  had  mistaken  the  object  on 
which  It  had  pnrehed  for  something  else.  At  other  times,  I  have  observed  that  the 
approach  of  the  gray  squirrel  intimidated  them,  if  one  of  these  animals  accidentally 
jumped  on  a  branch  close  to  them,  although  the  Owf  destroys  a  number  of  tliom 
duimg  the  twilight." 

Audubon  has  heard  it  said,  in  addition  to  small  animals  and  birds,  and  a  peculiar 
sort  of  frog,  c(.-mmon  in  the  woods  of  Louisiana,  that  the  Barred  Owl  catches  fish. 
He  never  saw  this  performed,  though  it  may  be  as  natural  for  it  as  those  species 
Which  have  been  ascertained  to  feed  on  them.  It  is  often  exposed  for  sale  in  the 
IScw  Oricans  market,  ano  the  Creoles  make  gumbo  of  it,  and  pronounce  it  paiatabicb 


i;i 


300 


BARRED  OWL. 


■itting  exposed.  I  also  once  met  with  one  of  their  ncst8,  containing 
three  young,  in  the  crotch  of  a  white  oak,  among  thick  foiiagp.  The 
nest  was  rudely  put  together,  composed  outwardly  of  sticks,  intermixed 
with  some  dry  grass  and  leaves,  and  lined  with  smaller  twigs.  At 
another  time,  in  passing  through  the  woods,  I  perceived  something 
white,  on  the  high  shaded  branch  of  a  tree,  close  to  the  trunk,  that,  as 
I  thought,  looked  like  a  cat  asleep.  Unable  to  satisfy  myself,  I  was 
induced  to  fire,  when,  to  m^  surprise  and  regret,  four  young  Owls,  of 
this  same  species,  nearly  tull  grown,  came  down  headlong,  and,  flut- 
tering for  a  few  moments,  died  at  my  feet.  Their  nest  was  probably  not 
far  distant  I  have  also  seen  the  eggs  of  this  species,  which  are  nearly 
as  large  b<?  those  of  a  young  Pullet,  but  much  more  globular,  and  per- 
fectly white. 

These  birds  sometimes  seize  on  fowls,  partridges,  and  young  rabbits; 
mice  and  sn-  11  game  are,  however,  their  most  usual  food.  The  differ- 
ence in  size  between  the  male  and  female  of  this  Owl  is  extraordinary 
amounting  sometimes  to  nearly  eight  inches  in  the  length.  Both 
scream  during  day,  like  a  Hawk. 

The  male  Barred  Owl  measures  sixteen  inches  and  a  half  in  length, 
and  thirty-eiglit  inches  in  extent ;  upper  parts  a  pale  brown,  marked 
with  transverse  spots  of  white ;  wings,  barred  with  alternate  bands  of 
pale  brown,  and  darker;  he  ad,  smooth,  very  large,  mottled  with  trans- 
verse touches  of  dark  brown,  pale  brown,  and  white ;  eyes,  large,  deep 
blue,  tiie  pupil  not  perceivable ;  face,  or  radiated  circle  of  tlie  eyes, 
gray,  surrounded  by  an  outline  of  brown  and  white  dots;  bill,  yellow, 
tinged  with  green;  breast,  barred  transversely  with  rows  of  brown 
and  white ;  belly,  streaked  longitudinally  with  long  stripcc  of  brown, 
on  a  yellowish  ground ;  vent,  plain  yellowish  white;  thighs  and  feath- 
ered legs,  the  same,  slightly  pointed  with  brown ;  toes,  nearly  covered 
with  plumage ;  claws,  dark  horn  color,  very  sharp ;  tail,  rounded,  and 

In  this  place  may  be  introduced  another  species,  mentioned  by  Bonaparte  as  m- 
habitinc  Arctic  America,  and  met  with  by  Dr.  Richardson  during  the  last  northern 
expedition.  It  is  the  largest  of  the  American  Owls,  exceeding  even  the  size  of  the 
Virginian  Horned  Owl,  and  seems  to  have  been  first  noticed  and  dcs^cribed  bj'  Dr. 
Latham,  from  Hudson's  Bay  specimens.  Dr.  Richardson  has  more  lately  given 
the  following  skotch  of  its  manners  ;— •"  It  is  by  no  means  a  rare  bird  in  ihc  Fur 
Countries,  being  an  inhnbitant  of  all  the  woody  districts  lying  between  Lake  Supe- 
rior and  latitudes  G7°  or  G8°,  and  between  Hudson's  Bay  and  the  Pacific.  It  is 
common  on  the  borders  of  Great  Bear  Lake ;  and  there  and  in  the  higher  parallels  of 
latitude  it  must  pursue  iis  prey,  during  the  summer  months,  by  daylight.  It  keeps, 
iiowcver,  within  the  woods,  and  does  not  frequent  the  barren  gioimds,  like  the 
Snowy  Owl,  nor  is  it  so  oi'ten  met  with  in  broad  daylight  as  (he  Hawk  Owl,  but 
hunts  principally  'Wicn  the  sun  is  low;  indeed,  it  is  only  at  such  times,  when  the 
recesses  of  the  woods  are  deeply  shadowed,  that  the  American  Hare  and  the  ma- 
rine animals,  on  which  this  Owlchiofly  preys,  come  forth  to  feed.  On  the  'i3d  of 
Mav,  I  <liscovercd  a  nest  of  this  Owl,' built,  on  'he  top  of  a  lofty  balsam  poplar,  of 
sticks,  and  lined  with  feathers.  It  contained  three  young,  which  were  covered  with 
a  wiiitish  down.  We  could  get  at  the  nest  only  by  felling  the  tree,  which  was  re- 
markably thick  -,  and  whilst  this  operation  was  going  on,  the  two  parent  birds  flew 
in  circles  round  the  objects  of  their  care,  keeping,  however,  so  high  in  the  air  as  io 
be  out  of  gunshot :  they  did  not  appear  to  be  dazzled  by  the  light  The  young 
ones  were  kept  alive  for  two  months,  when  they  made  their  escape.  They  had  the 
habit  common  also  to  other  Owls,  of  throwing  themselves  back,  and  making  a  loud 
snapping  noise  with  their  bills,  when  any  one  entered  the  room  in  which  they  were 
kept."  — Ed. 


s,  containing 


SHORT-EARED  OWL.  3^7 

r.tj^arr'res'^f'^hit:"',?  T'\^'^'^?^  "-  of  brown,  and 
chestni ;  a^ercS  iSornaT  an.  p  ^f  fh"^  ''"d.«h«»lders  l.avo  a  ca^t  o? 
the  plumage  of  the  radTatedSH/,  7f.' '"  *  ^'""^  «P°*  «*"  ''''"^k; 
hairs;  nnd  the  b  II  is  pionL  /k""^  ^''^  ''^^  ^"^«  '"  '""g  black 
bristi;  kind.''Vht';roZbl7rve^o^^  "^  ^^^^^  ^4  --e 

approaches  it  in  sweemno-  ha^til  Jlf  ^u  *.  ^''^  1^®  '*'''®"  ""y  ^^anger 
found  on  ^catcS  mav  havi  ^^.  ^  ''^°'^' '  ""^  ^''"'^  "«"«"y 

«Hght.«t  tdl[.ch  of  the  Sit  of  anvT?h  "''"."°"  *°/"'«''  f^^-'  «"  ^^4 
brane  was  instantly  thrown  over  JL  eye  '''  ^'•'''  ^^  "'^^'^*°*  '"«"- 

-ith  white;  the  shou£  bei  g  a  pCrcSSTat^'T^ ''^'^''^^  '^f'"^ 
tends  considerably  bevond  tl.f  Hni  IV  »k  °^?^^  ^^°^"'^  ^«  *«•'  ««- 
larger,  and  of  „  ie^Seny,!;^^  *!l«  ^"^  '«  """^h 

of  the  male.  ^  ^  '  '"^  °'  ^^^  eye,  the  same  as  that 

Jt'owi?i"ii!;T;;ji3fj'^^^-^^^^^^  f  «^'«'-''' '  »•«"-,  of 

little  from' bristle  ^hoTeZtsu^rn/t'h'  '""^""^  ^"  '''"  •J'ff"'- 
exceedingly  open  and  uLphhpr^?        the  region  0/  tlie  eyes  are 

generany^Ue"dinrfrorthem;rn^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

cuhar  small,  narrow,  velvetv  kind  whnJfl^  "'  °*^  ^  '"^^^  P^- 

as  to  be  invisible  to  \he  naEd  ey^  SvfthP  T  "'  'T'''''^^  '^"«' 
oral  character  at  the  surface  caLuIatod  L  ^T^^^  ^^!  °"^  S^"" 
but,  towards  the  roots,  it  is  of  |he  mSsoft  L^^'  ?"."  """^  '"e'^'"^^' 
in  nature  -  so  much  so  timt  it  mau  h//  ^^^^l,^"'^  ^"^"^  substance 
the  webs  of  tho  wiSg.qu    f  ^i^o  of  aTll\^^^^^^^    ^''"^  ^«'*' 

prj>found  silence.  Vho  ^I^^SZTt^SSl  SftC 


SHORT-EARED  OWL.-STRIX  BRACHYOTOS.-F.o.  149. 

Turton,  Syst.  p  IGl.— Arc/..  Zool.  p.  229,  No  116  — /«/fc  :  ioa       r       ,. 

ou  la  grand  chevCche,  Buff.  i.  k  ^^'-Kifl'-AZ;;::^'^^^"''''' 

OTUS  BRACnrOTOS.-CvYisK.* 
Short-eared  Owl,  liew.  Br.  Birth    i    n  dfl   «n        en...         ^ 
P).  21.-Hiboi  brarhyoie   ri:  5>a?' i^pljf' *^'f  fci'-  ^'Z  ^-i '"  P"  ^- 


^'' 

u 


'5,i. 


308 


SHORT-HAllED  OWL. 


its  nest  upon  the  ^ni.!na,  amidat  the  heaU» ;  arrives  and  disappears  in 
the  south  parts  of  England  with  the  WoodcocMhat  '«,V",^f  f^In"^ 
April;  coisequenUy  does  not  breed  there,  t  is  called  at  lud  on 9 
Bay,  the  Mouse  Hawk ;  and  is  described  as  not  flj^mg,  like  other  Owls, 
in  search  of  prey,  but  sitting  quiet,  on  a  stump  ot  a  t/^^'^f  h'"f /«' 
inicr.  It  is  said  to  be  found  in  plenty  in  the  woods  near  Chatteau 
Bay,  on  the  coast  of  Labrador,  in  tlie  United  States,  it '«  aW  bi-.d 
of  passa.rc,  coming  to  us  from  the  north  in  November,  and  departing 
h,  &  The  binl  represented  in  fiff.  149,  was  shot  mN«w  Jersey, 
a  few  miles  below  Philadelphia,  in  a  thicket  of  pines.    It  has  the  stern 

In  Enffland  it  hours  the  name  of  Woodcock  Owl,  Irom  its  appearai.re  nrarly 
abmt  thf  same  tin.e  with  that  bird,  and  in  r..,ppearancc  »?«'»  i: 'ife.^P;;  ^^i„  S 
few  if  any  remain  durine  the  whole  seaso  i,  and  they  are  only  "ft  wuh  m  im  ir 
5ra  i,r;o  and  from  the  nor.h,  their  bree.  ,„g-places,.».m.lar  to  Jhe  upp^uan  e 
for  tt  fou  '  vs,  of  the  Ringouscls  and  Dotterels  ;  m  spnng,  singly  or  n  pairs  .art 
^  the  fall,  M  small  gronpsf  the  amount  of  .heir  broods  vvh.m  "R'^'" '«  '''"f'^,/'"^ 
do  not  appear  to  be  .illerwisc  gregarious  ;  »''d.  •''«""'>'"; '!'J^y;''J'u\h„r  a^ 
account  Vor  the  flock  of  twenty-eight jn  a  t"'"f  fi«''''r"**'l*'y  ^  ,her  as  men- 
the  instances  of  fiv.-  ,.r  six  of  these %.rds  frequently  loundroosingtog.ah^^^^^^^ 
tion.d  bv Mr  Solbv  They  appear  at  the  same  seasons, (accordmg  to  1  tmmincK,j 
an"  ^eSli'uli'^no'l-d.  'ft  is  onl^  in  the  north  f  ,£'ft"jYl"b  idl-rwl^°re 
la.  <1,  that  they  will  rank  as  summer  visitants.  Hoy, «"''''«", '^""*',V^^^.''^f^^^^^^^^^ 
thev Were  first  discovered  to  breed,  were  considered  the  southern  Imiil  oi  ineir 
ncilbat^on  I  extends,  however,  much  farther;  and  may  be  perhaps,  stated  as 
r'Sve  muiJland'ranges  of  Cumberland,  WostmorelamI    a^  ^orth^^^^^^^^ 

land.  Over  all  the  Scottish  mi.irs,  .t  occurs  n.  ™"«'''"»'''^.,'^^,7  S  il "  Grou  e 
few  snortsmen  who  are  unacquainted  with  it;  manj  are  kjllcd  i urnig  the  urouse 
easoTand  .ho.e  in.lividuals  vlhich  Mr.  Selby  mentfJM.s  as  f"""}  °^  "P',?"^,TT^ 
I  have  no  doubt  bred  there.  On  .he  extensive  moors  at  the  "««^  "'  "'y!'''j* 
small  rivulet  in  Dumfries-shire,)  I  h»ve  for  many  y'^f  ^,P«f ' '"«' ^,  '  """  "'d  mv 
pairs  of  these  birds,  and  the  accidental  discovery  of  l'^;^^ -"'^""f , '''  l/^^/f '' "f^^ 
attention  to  the  range  of  their  breeding ;  (.;r,  previous  to  this  1  ^'«°  h«ld  the  opm 
ion  that  thev  had  commenced  their  migration  southward.  The  voung  was  <i'Scov- 
cred  by  one^of  my  dogs  pointing  it ;  and,  on  the  following  year,  ^y  searching  at  he 
proper^season,  tw'^  nests  were  ll.und  with  five  eggs.    Tf?ev  were  formed    pon  the 

groCnd  among  the  heath;  the  bottom  "f '''^l'''^'  ^"''PVf W  or  o.tr  a^ce^^^^^^^^ 
ncared  on  wliich  the  eggs  were  placed,  without  any  '"."n?  «'  •",>'"  accessory 
cover L  When  a  proacliin-  the  nest  or  young,  the  old  birds  fly  an,  hover  round, 
m^a  sJhII  c'r;,'r..l  snapping  with  their  bilfs.  T^^  win  then  a  g,u  at  a  s^^^^^^ 
distance  survey  the  aggressor,  and  agmn  resume  their  flight  and  cries,  inc  young 
a  e  barely  abl7to  fly  R?  the  12.h  of  August  and  appear  to  leave  'h^-t  -me  time 
before  thev  arc  able  to  rise  from  the  ground.  I  have  taken  them,  on  that  great  day 
fos^^Se;,  squatted  on  the  heath)kc  young  black  game,  at  .mgrea  djsauce 
from  each  other  and  always  attended  by  the  parent  birds.  Last  jear  U..ii)  i 
tnd  them  ?n  their  old  haunts,  to  which  thev  appear  to  -'"^ -7/„^f  J;;''^'"';^ 
the  female,  with  a  young  bird,  was  procured ;  the  young  could  only  fly  for  sixty  or 

'TnSultrspecies  will  bear  the  same  analogy  to  those  f^^/j^JjJXs 
which  the  Snow}  Owl  bears  to  the  earless  birds.  The  name  °J  "^fj^'^'j^^;^ 
more  activity  and  boldness,  and  a  diHorent  make  ;  and  we  find  the  head  sma",  the 
body  mo  c  lender,  the  wings  and  tail  powerful.  They  hunt  regularly  by  <iay.  anj 
will^sretimes  soar  to  a.  great  heipllt.  They  feed  on  small  birds,  and  destroy 
voun"'  ffanic,  as  well  as  mice  and  moles.  „  ,         ,:„„„  ;» 

^  it  seems  to  have  a  pretty  extensive  geographical  range.  Pennant  menl.ons  t 
as  inhabiiing  the  Falkland  Isles.  It  extends  to  Siberia;  and  I  have  received  .t 
from  the  neighborhood  of  Canton,  in  China.— Ed. 

•  A  .pccimon  «a«  shot  in  December,  (1831.)  on  »he  "'"%P'"""'V"ie  «gide^^^^^^^^ 
when  .Irawiiig  a  whin  covert  for  a  fox,  on  3Ut  January,  1832.    1  believe  some  reside  aufin* 

tike  whole  yoar.  —  Ec 


P' 


Lmn.E  OWL. 


300 


upect  of  a  keen,  vijforous,  and  active  bird ;  and  la  reputed  to  be  an 
excellent  mouser.  li.  fliea  frequently  by  day,  and,  particularly  in  dark 
cloudy  wo'ithrr,  takos  short  Hif^htH;  and,  when  sittinjj  tinu  looking 
sharply  around,  crectH  tlie  two  sliglit  featliers  that  constitutes  its  horns, 
which  are  ut  such  times  very  noticeable ;  but,  oiJierwise,  not  perceiva- 
ble. No  person  on  slightly  examining  this  bird  after  being  shot,  would 
suspect  it  to  bo  furnished  with  horns ;  nor  are  they  discovered  but  by 
careful  search,  or  previous  observation  on  tlie  living  bird.  Bewick,  in 
bis  History  of  British  Birds,  remarks,  that  this  species  is  sometimes 
seen  in  companies,  —  twenty-eight  of  them  having  been  once  counted 
in  a  turnip  field  in  November. 

Length,  fifteen  inches ;  extent,  three  feet  four  inches ;  general  color 
above,  dark  brown,  the  featliers  broadly  skirted  with  pale  yellowisih 
brown ;  bill,  large,  black  ;  iridos,  rich  golden  yellow,  placed  in  a  bed 
of  deep  black,  which  radiates  outwards  all  around,  except  towards  the 
bill,  where  the  plumage  is  whitish;  ears,  bordered  with  a  semicircular 
line  of  black  and  tawny  yellow  dots  ;  tail,  rounded,  longer  than  usual 
with  Owls,  crossed  with  five  bands  of  dark  brown,  and  as  many  of 
yellow  ochre,  somo  of  the  latter  have  central  spots  of  dark  brown,  the 
whule  tipped  with  white  quills  also  banded  with  dark  brown  and  yel- 
low ochre ;  breast  and  boUy  streaked  with  dark  brown,  on  a  ground  of 
yellowish ;  legs,  thighs,  and  vent,  plain  dull  yellow ;  tips  of  the  three 
first  quill-featliers,  black;  legs,  clothed  to  the  claws,  which  are  black, 
curved  to  about  the  quarter  of  a  circl<\  and  exceedingly  sharp. 

The  female  f  have  never  seen;  but  she  is  said  to  be  somewhat 
larger,  and  much  darker,  and  the  spots  on  the  breast  larger,  and  more 
numerous.* 


LITTl  E  OWL— STRIX   PASSERINA— Fio.  150. 

Arct.  Zool.  W6,  No.  126.—  Turton,  Syst.  172 — PeaWs  Museum,  No.  622. 

STRIX  AC^DIC^.  —  Gmkm  n.f 

ChoucUe  chevCcbetle,  Temm.  Man.  i.  p.  9G.  —  Slrix  acadira,  Bonap.  Synop.  p. 
38.  — Monog.  sinot  strigi  inauriu.  osserv.  sulla,  '2d  edit,  del  Retr,  Aiiim.  Cuv.  p. 
62. —  Slrix  acadica,  American  Sparrow  Owl,  North.  Zool.  p.  97. 

This  is  one  of  the  least  of  its  whole  genus ;  but,  like  many  other 
little  folks,  makes  up,  in  neatness  of  general  form  and  appearance,  for 

*  The  female  is  nearly  of  the  same  size  with  the  male  ;  the  colors  are  all  of  a 
browned  tinge,  the  markings  more  clouded  and  indistinct ;  the  white  of  the  lower 
parts,  and  under  the  wings,  is  less  pure,  and  the  belly  and  vent  are  more  thickly 
dashed  with  black  streaks;  the  ears  are  nearly  of  the  same  length  with  the  other 
feathers,  but  can  be  easily  distinguished.  She  is  always  foremost  to  attack  any 
intruder  on  her  nest  or  yoi'iig- — -Ed. 

t  There  is  so  much  all: ...it-e  between  many  of  the  Small  Owls,  that  it  is  a  matter 
of  surprise  more  species  have  not  been  confounded.  Wilson  appears  to  have  been 
mistaken,  or  to  have  confounded  the  name  at  least  of  the  Little  Owl ;  and,  on  the 
autliority  of  Temminck  and  Bonaparte,  we  have  given  it  as  above,  that  of  acadica. 
It  is  a  native  of  both  Continents,  bul  does  not  yet  appear  to  have  reached  the 
Rritish  ■~h.".r.is.     ,\c'.-nr(\ti:!r  '-■.:  Tcniminck,  it  is  fnr.r::*.  in  th.-:^  dec"   Cic-m 


I'l 


rests 


^^^^^Hb' 

I^HHI^      ill 

1 

310 


LITTLE  OWL. 


deficiency  of  aizo,  and  is,  porhapo,  tlio  moBt  Blmpely  of  all  our  OwU. 
Nor  arc  Uie  colorn  and  markings  of  its  plumage  intor.or  in  Hmiplicity 
and  oflect  to  moHt  otl.orH.  It  uIho  posHOSses  an  eye  fully  ..qual  in 
spirit  and  brilliancy  to  the  bo»t  of  tliem. 

This  apecies  is  a  general  and  constant  inhabitant  of  tlio  middle  and 
nortliern  states ;  but  is  found  most  numoroua  in  tlie  neighborliood  of 
the  sea-shore,  and  among  woods  and  swamps  of  pine  trees.  It  rarely 
rambles  much  during  day ;  but,  if  disturbed,  flies  a  short  way,  and 
again  takes  shelter  from  the  light;  at  the  approach  ot  twilight  it  is  all 
iilb  and  activity,  b.ing  a  noted  and  dexterous  mousc-catclicr.  It  is 
found  as  far  north  as  Nova  Sotia,  and  even  Hudson's  Bay ;  is  frequent 
in  Russia;  builds  m  nest  generally  in  pines,  half  way  up  the  tree,  and 
lays  two  eggs,  which,  like  those  of  the  rest  of  its  genus,  are  white. 
The  melancholy  and  gloomy  umbrage  of  those  h,  litary  evergreens 
forms  its  favorite  haunta,  where  it  sits  dozing  and  slumbenng  all  day, 
lulled  by  the  roar  of  tlio  neighboring  ocean. 

The  Little  Owl  is  seven  inches  and  a  half  lonp,  and  eighteen  inches 
in  extent ;  the  upper  parts  are  a  plain  brown  olive,  the  scapulars  and 
some  of  the  greater  and  lesser  coverts  being  spotted  with  white  ;  the 
first  five  primaries  are  crossed  o'^Uquely  witli  five  bars  of  white;  tail, 
rounded,  rather  darker  than  tli^  ody,  crossed  with  two  rows  of  white 
spots,  and  tipped  with  white;  whole  interior  vanes  .4  the  wings, 
spotted  witli  the  same ;  auricular?,  yellowish  brown ;  crown,  upper 
part  of  tlio  nock,  and  circle  surrounding  the  ears,  beiiutifully  marked 
with  numerous  points  of  white  on  an  olive  brown  ground  ;  front,  pure 
white,  ending  in  long  blackish  hairs  ;  at  the  internal  angle  of  the  eyes, 
a  broad  spot  of  black  radiating  outwards;  irides,  pale  yellow;  bill,  a 
blackish  horn  color;  lower  parts,  streaked  with  yellow  ochre  and 
reddish  bay ;  thighs,  and  feathered  legs,  pale  buif;  toes,  covered  to 
the  claws,  which  are  black,  large,  and  sharp-pointed. 

The  bird,  from  which  figure  150  was  tak<'n,  was  shot  on  the  sea- 
shore, near  Great  Egg  Harbor,  in  New  Jersey,  in  tlie  niontli  of  No- 
vember, and,  on  dissection,  was  found  to  be  a  female.  Turton  describes 
a  species  called  the  White-fronted  Owl,  (S.  ulbijrona,)  which,  m  every 
thing  except  the  size,  agrees  with  tliis  bird,  and  has,  very  probably, 

thouith  rarely,  but  is  plenliful  in  Livonia.  Hoimparlc  hints  at  the  probatjilily  "flho 
St.  msserimt  beitisr  yet  discovered  in  America,  which  serins  \cry  hkely,  coasider- 
ine  the  simdarity  of  ils  Kuroprnn  haunts.  The  last  overland  arctic  expedition  m(!» 
with  this  and  another  allied  species.  «.  7'.T?.-m..  v,/,  which  wil  rank  as  „n  iiddt-on 
to  the  ornithoioey  of  that  conlinriil.  Dr.  Richardson  has  the  following  observalionu 
regardine  the  falter  :  "  When  it  accidentally  wanders  abroad  ni  the  day,  il  is  so 
much  daizled  by  the  iiphl  of  the  sun  as  lo  become  stupi.l,  and  il  may  be  easily 
caught  by  the  hand.  Ils  cry  in  the  night  is  a  single  melancholy  note,  repealed  at 
intervals  of  a  minute  or  two,  and  it  is  one  of  the  superstitious  practices  of  the  na- 
tives to  whistle  when  they  hear  it.  If  the  bird  is  silent  when  thus  challenged,  the 
speedy  death  of  the  inquirer  is  thus  augured  ;  hence  Us  Cree  appellaUon  of  Veath 

nirti 

On  the  banks  of  the  Sascalchewan  it  is  so  common,  that  its  voice  is  heard  almost 
every  night  bv  the  traveller,  wherever  he  s.ilects  his  h-vouack. 

Both  tlie  la'tter  species  extend  over  the  north  of  I -trope,  and  are  found  occa- 
sionally in  Britain.  The  specimens  which  F  have  seen  in  confinement  seem  to  sleep 
or  doze  away  the  morning  and  forenoon,  but  are  remarkably  active  when  roused, 
and  move  about  with  great  agility.  Both  arc  oHen  exposed  for  sale,  with  other 
bird«.  in  the  Dutch  and  Belgian  markets.  —  Ed. 


11  our  Owla. 

n  Kiniplicity 
[ly  equal  in 

itiiddlo  and 
iiborhood  of 
I.  It  rarely 
t  way,  and 
ipht  it  is  all 
;chor.  It  is 
;  is  frequent 
the  tree,  and 
3,  arfi  wliite. 

overcreens 
ring  all  day, 

iteen  inches 
apulars  niid 
1  white ;  the 

white ;  tail, 
W8  of  white 
'  the  wings, 
rown,  upper 
ully  marked 
;  front,  pure 

of  the  eyes, 
How ;  bill,  a 
r  ochre  and 
,  covered  to 

on  the  sea- 
ontii  of  No- 
;on  describes 
ich,  in  every 
ry  probably, 

ubability  of  the 
kc'ly,  cmisiiior- 
cxpeilitiuu  mcl 

IIS  ill)  iiil<!il^(^n 
ig  observatiiMis 
u"  <lay,  il  is  so 

may  be  easily 
)te,  repealed  at 
icps  of  Ihc  iia- 
challenffed,  the 
lalion  oT  Death 

is  heard  almost 

re  found  occa» 
it  seem  to  sleep 
c  when  roused, 
sale,  with  other 


8EA-8IDE  FINCH. 

boon  takori  from  a  young  male,  which  is  Bomctimes  found  consitiorablr 
less  than  Uie  female.  ' 


SEA-SIDE  FINCH- FRINOILLA   MARITIMA.-Fio.  161. 

AMMODIUMUS  MjIRiriMOS. -Bit Atnton." 

'^Xl'"n''"i'in"'''''"ru'^a'  ''''■'!,'^;.^°l  "'  P-  *«.  -  Frinjjilia  mnritima,  Uorwf . 
alKhemaie  "'  ''  '^"^'  '^^'  ^'''''''  ''  P'  '^'"^'  P''  ''^   ""*'• 

Or  this  bird  I  can  find  no  descrip.ion.  It  inhabits  the  low,  nish- 
covorod  sea  islands  along  our  Atlantic  coast,  where  1  first  fouiiu  i* : 
keepmff  almost  continually  within  the  boundaries  of  tide  watf'r,e;,eP(>t 
when  ong  and  violent  east  or  northoasterlv  storms,  with  high  Ud.'<. 
compel  I*'  ..  r^ Mk  the  shore.  On  these  occasions  it  courses  aToii.r  the 
margn  ,  niid  a' icnjf  the  holes  and  interstices  of  the  weeds  and'sea- 
wrac  ,  witi\  a  r' ;>idity  equalled  only  by  the  nimblest  of  our  Sand- 
piper  ,  Bi.A  very  i  ach  in  their  manner.  At  tliese  times  also  it  rsosts 
on  the  q^ii  inj,  uii    runs  about  after  dusk. 

Thiat  i  -!<■!  -jrives  its  whole  subsistence  from  the  sea.  I  exam- 
ined u  ,^  at  number  of  individuals  by  dissection,  and  found  their 
stomachs  universally  filled  with  fragments  of  shrimps,  minute  shell- 
fish, and  broken  lii.)hs  of  small  sea-crabs.  Its  flesh,  also,  as  was  to  be 
expected,  tasted  of  fidh,  or  what  is  usually  termed  sedgy.  Amidst  the 
recesses  of  tliese  wet  soa-.narshes,  it  seeks  the  rankest  growth  of  grass 
and  sea-weed,  and  climbs  along  the  stalks  of  the  rushes  with  as  much 
dexterity  as  it  runs  along  the  ground,  which  is  rather  a  singular  cir- 
cumstance,  most  of  our  climbers  being  rather  awkward  at  running. 

The  Sea-side  Pinch  is  six  inches  and  a  quarter  long,  and  eight  and 
a  quarter  in  extent ;  chin,  pure  white,  bordered  on  each  side  by  a 
stripe  of  dark  ash,  proceeding  from  each  base  of  the  lower  mandible ; 
above  that  is  another  slight  streak  of  white  ;  from  the  nostril  over  the 
eye  extends  another  streak,  which  immediately  over  the  lores  is  rich 

*  The  Sea-side  and  Short-tailed  Finches  constitute  the  genus  Amnwdramus  of 
Swainson.  The  former  was  discovered  by  Wilson  ;  the  latter  is  the  Sharp-tailed 
Uriole  of  Latham,  fhey  are  both  peculiar  (o  North  America,  and  are  nearly  con- 
fined to  the  salt  marshes  on  the  coast.  They  are  very  curious  in  their  strijeturc, 
combming',  as  remarked  by  our  nulhor,  properties  for  either  miming  or  climbing. 
l-he  tail  IS  truly  scansonal ;  the  feet  partly  so,  the  hallux  formed  for  running, 
having  the  claw  elongated,  and  of  a  flat  beixl .  as  among  the  Larks. 

Mr.  Audubon  has  figured  this  bird  with  the  nest,  ife  says  it  is  placed  so  near 
ine  ground,  that  one  might  suppose  it  sunk  into  it,  allhr ugh  this  is  not  actually  the 
'^^f^-  ",.'•«,  composed  externally  of  coarse  grass,  and  e  lined  with  finer  kinds,  but 
exhibMs  httlc  regularitv.  The  eggs  are  from  (our  to  s>it,  elongated,  grayish  white, 
freckled  wi  h  brown  all  over.  They  build  in  elevated,  shrubby  place.?,  where  many 
nes!.-.  may  be  found  in  the  space  of  an  acre.  When  the  voimg  are  grown,  they 
beuike  themselves  to  the  ditches  and  sluices  which  intersect' the  salt  nfarshes  an'd 
fmd  abiiiKlant  food.  They  enter  the  larger  holes  of  crabs,  and  every  crack  and 
crevice  of  the  drying  mud.  In  this  they  much  resemble  the  Wrens,  who  enjoy  en- 
lering  and  prying  into  every  chink  or  opening  of  their  own  haunts.  Mr.  Audubon 
had  some  dressed  m  a  pie,  but  found  them  anite  unoalatable.  —  En. 


312 


SHARP-TAILED  FINCH- 


yellow,  bordered  above  with  white  and  ending  in  yellow  olive ;  crown, 
brownish  olive,  divided  laterally  by  a  stripe  of  slate  blue,  or  fine,  light 
ash ;  breast,  ash,  streaked  with  buff;  belly,  white ;  vent,  buff  colored, 
and  streaked  with  black ;  upper  parts  of  the  back,  wings,  and  tail,  a 
yellowish  brown  olive,  intermixed  with  very  pale  blue ;  greater  and 
lesser  coverts,  tipped  with  dull  white ;  edge  of  the  bend  of  the  wing, 
rich  yellow ;  primaries,  edged  with  the  same  immediately  below  then: 
coverts ;  tail,  cuneiform,  olive  brown,  centered  with  black ;  bill,  dusky 
above,  pale  blue  below,  longer  tiian  is  usual  with  Finches ;  legs  and 
feet,  a  pale  bluish  white ;  indes,  hazel.  Male  and  female  nearly  alike 
in  color. 


SHARP-TAILED  FINCH.  —  FRINGILLA  CAUDACUTA.— 

Fio.  152. 

Sharp-tailed  Oriole,  Lath.  Gen.  Synop.  ii.  p.  448,  pi.  17.  —  Peale's  Museum, 


AMMODRAMUS  CAUDACOTUS.—  S-nhivton.*  ' 

Ammodramus,  Sioain.ZooL  Journ.  No.  ii.  p.  348.  —  Fringilla  caudaeuta,  Bonap. 

Sytwp.  p.  no. 

A  BIRD  of  this  denomination  is  described  by  Turton,  SysL  p.  562, 
but  which  by  no  means  agrees  with  the  present  This,  however,  may 
be  tlie  fault  of  the  describer,  as  it  is  said  to  be  a  bird  of  Georgia. 
Unwilling,  therefore,  to  multiply  names  unnecessarily,  I  have  adopted 
his  appellation.  In  some  future  part  of  the  work.  I  shall  settle  tins 
matter  with  more  precision. 

This  new  (as  I  apprehend  it)  and  beautiful  species  is  an  associate 
of  the  former ;  inhabits  the  same  places ;  lives  on  the  same  food ;  and 
resembles  it  so  much  in  manners,  that,  but  for  their  dissimilarity  in 
some  essential  particulars,  I  would  be  disposed  to  consider  them  as 
the  same  in  a  different  state  of  plumage.  They  are  much  less  numer- 
ous than  the  preceding,  and  do  not  run  with  equal  celerity. 

The  Sharp-tailed  Finch  is  five  inches  and  a  quarter  long,  and  seven 
inches  and  a  quarter  in  extent ;  bill,  dusky  ;  auriculars,  ash  ;  from  the 
bill  over  tlin  eye,  and  also  below  it,  run  two  broad  stripes  of  brownish 
orange ;  chin,  whitish ;  breast,  pale  buff,  marked  with  small,  pointed 
spots  of  black ;  belly,  white ;  vent,  reddish  buff;  from  the  base  of  the 
upper  mandible  a  broad  stripe  of  pale  ash  runs  along  the  crown  and 
hind  head,  bordered  on  each  side  by  one  of  blackish  brown ;  back,  a 
yellowish  brown  olive,  some  of  the  feathers  curiously  edged  with  semi- 

•  Mr.  Audubon  has  fij^ured  a  bird,  very  closely  allied  in  plumapfc,  under  tlit  title 
of  Ammodramus  Hmslowii,  and,  in  the  l«lter-press,  has  described  it  as  Hcnslow's 
Bunting,  Emheriza  Henslowii.  It  will  evidently  come  under  the  first  genus,  and, 
if  new  and  distinct,  will  form  a  third  North  American  speciqs.  It  is  named  aRer 
Professor  Henslow,  of  Cambridge,  and  was  obtained  near  Cincinnati.  There  is 
■o  account  of  its  history  and  habits.  —  Ed. 


If 

di 
fa 

Pi 
Pf 

cc 
wl 
Jo 

frt 
inl 
ne 
Ba 
roc 
ret 
am 
pla 


-t  * 


ive ;  crown, 
r  fine,  light 
iff  colored, 
and  tail,  a 
[reater  and 
f  the  wing, 
below  their 
bill,  dusky 
i;  legs  and 
learly  alike 


UTA.— 


Museum, 


;uta,  Bonap. 

Jyst.  p.  562, 
wever,  may 
of  Georgia, 
ive  adopted 
settle  this 

n  associate 
s  food ;  and 
imihrity  in 
er  them  as 
less  niimer- 

',  and  seven 
I ;  from  the 
)f  hrownish 
lall,  pointed 
base  of  the 

crown  and 
'^n  i  back,  a 

with  semi- 


savanmah  HNCH.  3J3 

wS^coferll'and^eSa  btl?^^^^^^^^^       ^"^'•^P""^^  -^^^  »"ack 
1ail,c.aneiform,  short    all  thp  Wh^  ^  l^^^^  ' -'^^  ^'^^^  '^^^^ish  buff; 
clay  color;  iSdethazel  ^«'^^«'^' «h'^^P-pointed ;  legs,  a  yellow' 

JcXiSitS^^Set'XV""^^  '^'  little  difference  in 


■♦- — 


SAVANNAH  FINCH. 


FRINGILLA    SAVANNA. -Fio  153  _ 

.tjALE.* 


Peale's  Museum,  No.  6583. 


AHDircC. 


ZOJfOTRICIIMI  SAV^JVJVA.~J 
Fringilla  Savanna,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  108 

faithtlrep?o;e?Mbnofre"ori^^^^^^^  very  beautiful  male,  and  is  a 

pure  white,  thJ formerUk'ed  S  smd^po  n^^^^^^^ 

per  parts,  a  pale  whitish  drab,  mottled  with  rprlZhi"'"P" 

coverts,  edged  and  tipped  witii  white    tertkls    S  1    pn,""'"^: 

This  IS,  probably,  the  most  timid  of  all  our  Soarrows     Tn  w'inf.     * 
roo't  of  a  clump  0    Sshoa  i„\^?.°  S  "Iri™"  "^'^'^  "*" 


*  The  female  is  described  at  p.  224, 


27 


1 1  rl 


m    I 


jndcr  the  title 
as  Hcnslow's 
t  genus,  and, 
named  after 
kti.    There  is 


_.  fSi. 


814 


WINTER  FALCON. 


WINTER  FALCON-  FALCO  HYEMALIS.-Fig.  154. 

Turton,  8yst.  p.  156.  -  Arct.  Zool.  p.  J9^  No.  107.  -  PeaU^s  .Museum,  No.  ^t, 

!«srt7K  ?  wrK.Wjji:./s.— Jahdiwi!.* 

The  Winter  Hawk,  And.  pi.  71 ;  Om.  Bio^.  p.  164. 

m    ,  oi»«nnf  nnd  Hniritf-d  Hawk  is  represented  in  Fig.  154.    He 
visTjrSrnoT  early  in  Novenfber,  and  leaves  us  late  u> 

^Thil;  is  a  dexterous  fro^-catcher ;  who,  that  he  may  pursue  his  pro- 

mons  trom  the  crop  ot  a       ^  ^^  ^    ^^^^  ^^  ^e  a  fearless  and 

exploits,  I  am  unable  ^^J^y'",        ^^      ^'hj^h  1  kept  for  some  time, 

.  This  species.  wi,h  the  F.^oJi^O.  of  our^;^  ^^^  - ^^^4 
dispute  as  to  the.r  identity.  1  it  ^''"'^''^rj  -  Au(kil>on  says  they  are  de- 
but  in  difTcreiit  slates  of  P^ '";^S'^^',^f;f„7'-J,"  'l^hh  an  account  of  the  differences 
cidedly  distinct  and  h^sg.ven  plate  oeae^^^^^  observations  at  some  length, 
he  observed  in  their  habits.  1  "^;'i"  "J,  /  ,  r  individually.  I  arn  inclined  to 
that  these  distinctions  may  be  ^^-^n  mu  J  S^^^  °reat  i  Verence  of  habit  to  birds  of 
consider  them  ^^'•"•:';,^,";;^,|;:,"  t,;";!  try  vCh  ^e^ard  to  their  station,  again, 
one  soecies,  particularly  m  tht  s.uw,  f  "''""^y        intennSdiate.  as  it  were,  between 

,hey  present  a  '""f  'l^^^^f  ^'V^^J?  1, JJ  :\h"o  e  of  1^^^^^     "n^l  <'^^"'^  ■  ^^''''e  '''^ 
Bvleo,  Astur,  a.id  Cucus      Th      o  ors  arc  jn  ^^  ^^^  ^.^^^^^  ^^^^^ 

formandactivehabitsoftl.com  IS  tnao.^^^^^  ^^^  proportional 

of  Circm ;  the  wmgs  «','^,,«,'^7,^„5n^ks     The  feet  of  both  are  deciJe.ll'y  A.tur, 
len-th  of  the  feathers  of  '^c  Ooslu  wks^^^  J^^  ^        „,^  preponder- 

r:?^\S;'ir;  to  t^'STwKth^^h^i^  that  as  their  present  ipe.lation. 

but  certainly  "''!?» ,'1"*'''>.-,., ,  „/•  u_,u  cnpcie-!  as  ffiven  by  Audubon,  that  the  com- 
p^iS^^y  b^  ttrml::;^^?::  alidrlJlKs^i^ion  of'^.  Uneau.,  have  referred 

r^;ra^St;-a,£||Wpro..^^ 

,„.  It  sails,  f\''-"«^-.  "^^^i„^:  '^^2t  t hi  k  nd  of  motion  with  grace,  and  in  cir- 
parative  shortness  of  ts  winRs,  Pcr'"""  "  r„„„rkablv  silent  bird,  often  spending 
Ls  of  more  than  ordmnrv  dianiHe  '  ,  -  ^^f .^'f^.^e  than  once  o?  twice", 
the  greater  part  "^ '^'^ '. ''-^^  to  wa  cli  with  Treat  patience  and  i-erseverance, 
which  it  does  just  before  it  «''S'''f,  ^"  "'.f 'f''.;^  '  e^ten^^  meadows  and  marshes 
for  the  appearance  of  its  prey.  ^'^  ;^™'^„„^,  ^,f  Ji^H  apid  motion,  on  the  frogs, 
which  occur  along  our  rivers.  J^J"«  "  P'^™^/^^'  j^^  "erch  or  the  top  of  the  hay- 
which  it  cither  devours  on  the  s,.ot  <)r  7""^;'"  '  %'  ,g  ^i  „i„ht  on  the  ground. 
Slack,  oi.  which  it  Prev'o-lys-'^  I  g,^^^;„^;4,7ee„  ,hi«  ""-"^  in  pursuit  o/ 
the  tall  sedges  of  the  marshes^  i,,";^;  "  geh  individual  chasing  the  others 


amons 


among  <•"«  •»"  "^"h--.  „  ..  ■■■r-Ai'- 

any  other  birds  limu  iliose  oi  iis  oWu  =prCic., 


WmTKR  vxj.roy. 


315 


Su?£n*"/h?irraie;"?h"°"''  T  ''fj  '  ?«"-  ^o  approach 

ing  with  e.^^u:s^^:;:ci^t^  ^"^•«^^'^- 

than  some  of  his  tribe,  vet  IhnvlZ.  V  ^^   Though  shorter  winged 
might  be  trained  to  strike  nil«  'l«»''t  J'ut,  ^^'ith  proper  care,  he 

postponed  for  a  time  imtU  fenU  ,•        ' '"  *'"'  ''"""^^'y'  ^^y  well  be 
that  of  the  humarsubject  ""P™^«">«nts  remain  to  be  made  m 

inclSrntrf/th^it^S^Tn^he^^^^^^  «^^-*'   ^"«y-e 

ter  long,  and  feathered  for"chZLllf  ''f  ^«^T',y«"»^'  th'e  lat- 
small,  furnished  with  a  tooSf  in  tL  nn  ''"vu,'  ^'"'  ''^'"^h  black, 

ber;  cartilage  over  thVeve  ierv     '  P^'' 'T'^'^'^  '  ^y«' bright  am- 
head,sidesof  thenerk  and  throTtTTT"^  ""^^  of  a  dull  "green; 
lesser  coverts,  with  fstronVJC  S  ''™"'"'  ■^^'"•^'^'^■^'^  ^^iti^  vvhite 
brown,  indistinctly  barredTvfth^te^  ;  secondaries,  pale 

spotted  with  black,  whollv  black  ^T'ti'^'?^''"'^''  ^™'^"'^''  "'•^^"ge, 
rounJed,  barred  alternate]/ w^h 'dark  td  S:.'  b!"  '  '""-^'  ''''^"^^y 
white  ;  exterior  feathers,  brownish  nr'n^a  ^  ™u  "  '  '""^^  ^^n«8. 
rather  beyond  the  middle  <^fZtuv^]'Z""'  T^°"  "^"'^«'^'  ^^^'^'^ 
heart-shaped  spots  of  brown  br.L;  i^y"",^' '''^"^^'  ""■^'•'^ed  witk 
ouslongdropsofbr^wn  t^e  ihlnH.  ^"/'  ''^'.*'^'  ^^'*  """^^^^ 
pale  yellow  ochre,  m4ed  w  th  n"  -  fathers,  large, 

brown;  claws,  black     Se  iJ.  0^7^,1^  ■"'""''  '^'''^^'i^  "^  P^e 
X  lie  legs  ot  this  bird  are  represented  by  differ- 

from  the  district  which  it  had  solectpH  <■-■.  i.-olc     ti 

clear  and  prolonged,  aud  resomblc-s  'Ihi!;  /.^  '^  f/'^'  "'^"'^  ^i-Ucr  Hawk  i. 

The  Fed-shouldered  Hawk  or  ^    ■  ,       i  i       v        „• 
Hawk,  although  dispersed  over  .ho 'j^eai.r  mh  Tn^r  ' '"l  L^'  "'°  '^^d-breasted 
served  in  the  middle  districts  •  whcrr  m    .^  ?        .    '"-'  '^,""'"'  '^'''''es,  Is  rarely  ob- 
makes  its  appeararice  fron/d/o  Sr  h 'at  tlS  .nn,'o^':r''  f'  '^^"""^  ^'''''^°"  "^»«"y 
more  common  occurrence.    This  I  in!  is     u.'  '^■^  !  "'  ''^■'''y  «"""""'  ^'"1  ''s  of 

?pr.ng  especially,  when  it  woul  be  diffi^ur  J  V.  rV^f ',.''"'■7°''  "?  ^•''"'«'  '''"!"& 
!"?  a  large  p  antation,  without  hcarin  "its  n'cor  n?^  ■ ',"  ^'^'''l^"'  ""ods  border- 
>t  IS  seen  sailing,  in  rapid  circles  a  7  vprv  n.T.  ■  '  ""  "°'^'*'  ''^«-'"''''  '^"-''«^,  as 
even  and  protrlcted.  It  is  a  norr^erX^^  ^T  ..''''"^■''"''"•-  H^  ordinary  fligh  is 
our  other  species,  particularly  Z^iZt^""'''  "'  '"«  ^^^^^  "-an^  mfst  of 

^oui^;!'!^:-,"^  Het,rs^^i;-i;:;'^^j?  «!•-'  •'r-^ '- "-  '^<'- 

<l«nlv  aljghts  on  the  low  branch  oPa  tree  or  th  t^y  .■  "^'T  l^-"  S^""'"l-  "'"i  sud- 
ho  sdcntly  watches,  in  an  erect  posture  for  [l,pLn'  "'  ''T'  '*"™I'-  '"'°'"  ^^hich 
he  pounces  direCy.  and  kills  .-!or^ntii:=-:;,t^rS:^S'rS 

pn^i^i  ^hri^i^Ie^ttf '^-Cr^S:,  "I  "^'^^  T'."^  '^'^^^  '«  ~ 
'■ries.  The  lop  of  a  tall  tree  seems  Tolfe  nrnf^  '/""'"'r/'''""''  ''  "»"'''  ''^  shrill 
oommonly  placed  there,  not  fa^f^om  ,1  t^I'd 'S"  f  wo'l.V  "'f  ''"""''  ,"^  "-"'^  '"°«' 
IS  sealed  ,n  Ihe  forks  of  a  large  branc      tnf.?t!u  ■.        ''    ''?'"''fi''i"K  plantations;  it 

'hat  of  the  common  Crow  ;1!^SedVxtrrn.  J  VT^'"^^^  '^  "«  "^""^y  as 

and  js  lined  will,  withered  grass  anTfibrouf^^^^^^^^  ^'■"'  ^^l"'"''^''  •"•'''s, 

circular  manner.     The  eg^  are  ffeneralK  f.nr  5'"''™!  '"''''•  a^rMged  in  a 

form  granulated  all  ove?,  p^rhfur  ^11^,1^1  in.T'' ''"  m ''r*'' '''' ^  I'road,  oval 
.smaller  cud."  '  ^'  '^'""y  "'"tened  with  brownish  red  at  the 

mo^r.LtytsTarXr'iifr".h''''^'.!^^^-'^''-'^'"«d  "awk  has  much 

the  breeding-places  of1he  la  terarr  ht''"^^""^  '^"'"^  "» '«■■*»  '"^^"'''^  the  6W 
dlfliron.  .tit"-  -'•  -I-  ---      •     .   ^^^'  however,  not  mentioned  h„  op :..:     ',2/' 

" "°  "*  '^'"""^" '"  '^'''^  ''*^*J«  ''^e  deserving  of  furthe;  re^aTchri  E^ 


316 


MAGPIE. 


ent  authors  as  slender ;  but  I  saw  no  appearance  of  this  ii  those  1 

The  female  is  considerably  darker  than  the  malt,  and  about  two 
inches  longer. 


MAGPIE.  —  CORVUS  PICA.  — Fio.  155. 

Arct.  ZooLtio.  136.— Lath.  i.  392. ~ Buff.  iii.  85.  —  Peak's  Museum,  No.  1333. 
PICS  CAUDA'rA.~Vi..K't.* 

This  bird  is  much  better  known  in  Europe  thnn  in  this  country, 
where  it  has  not  been  long  discovered ;  altliough  it  is  now  found  to  m- 
habit  a  wide  extent  of  territory,  and  in  great  numbers.  The  drawmg 
was  taken  from  a  very  beautiful  specimen,  .sent  from  the  Mandan  nation, 
on  the  Misuouri,  to  Mr.  .Tefferson,  and  by  that  gentleman  presented  to 
Mr.  Peale  of  this  city,  in  whose  Museum  it  lived  for  several  months, 
and  where  I  had  an  opportunity  of  examinmg  it.  On  caretully  com- 
paring it  with  the  European  Magpie  in  the  same  collection,  no  material 

*  The  common  Magpie  of  Europe  i.s  typical  of  that  seclion  among  tijc  Co/^idj^, 
to  which  the  name  orPica  has  bee.  g  ve...  They  retau,  the  form  "f  » '«  b^  as  >n 
Ccn-xms:  their  whole  members  arc  weaker  ;  ihe  feathers  on  the  rump  are  more  lax 
fmd  puffy,  and  the  tail  is  always  very  lenglhencd.  . 

The  Appendix  to  Captain  Franklin-s  Narrative,  by  Mr.  Sabme,  first  gave  rise  to 
the  suspicion,  that  two'  very  nearly  allied  spcoics  ol  Magpie  were  .^und  m  the 
northern  parts  of  America ;  and  that  gentleman  has  accordingly  described  the  spe- 
cimens  k  lied  at  Cumberland  House,  during  the  first  arctic  expedition,  under  the 
name  of  Con^us  Hudsonicus  -of  which  the  following  are  theprmcioal  distinclions 
-and  he  seems  to  consider  that  bird  more  particularly  confined  o  the  more 
northern  parts  of  the  continent,  while  the  other  was  met  with  m  the  United  States 

and  the  Missouri  country :  .      .       „  •.  .     .i,„     .u„  -«.«.„«„ 

"The  Hudson's  Bay  Magpie  is  of  less  size  m  all  its  parts  than  the  common 
Magpie,  except  in  its  tail,  which  exceeds  that  of  its  congener  m  length ;  but  the 
moft  remarkable  and  obvious  difference  is,  in  a  loose  tuft  of  grayish  and  while 
feathers  on  the  back.  Length  of  the  body,  exclusive  ol  the  tail,  seven  inches  tha 
of  the  tail  from  eleven  to  twelve  inches,  that  of  the  common  being  trom  nine  to  ten 

In  the  Northern  Zoology,  Corvus  Hudsormm  is  quoted  as  a  synonym.  Ihe 
authors  remark,"  This  bfrd,  so  common  m  Europe  is  equallv  plentiful  in  the  in- 
terior prairie  lands  of  America  ;  but  it  is  singular  that,  though  i  abounds  on  the 
shores^f  Sweden,  and  other  maritime  parts  of  the  Old  Worklit  is  very  rare  on 
the  Atlantic,  eastward  of  the  Mississippi,  or  Lake  Winipeg."  "  The  manners  of 
the  American  bird  are  precisely  what  we  have  been  accustomed  to  observe  in  the 
English  one.  On  comparing  its  eggs  with  those  of  the  Euroneuii  h.rd  thev  were 
fould  to  be  longer  and  narro^yer  ;  and  though  the  colors  are  the  same,  the  blotches 
are  larger  and  more  diffused.''  .  .  .    •   j     j  .u 

The  distinctions  mentioned  by  Mr.  Sabine  seem  very  trivial;  indeed  they  may 
be  confined  entirely  to  a  less  size  The  grayish  tuft  of  feathers  on  the  rump  is  he 
game  in  the  common  M.gpie  of  Britain,  1  have  had  an  opportunity  of  examining 
only  one  North  American  specimen,  which  is  certainly  smaller,  but  in  no  other 
respect  differem.  The  authors  of  the  iVo^i/KrnZoo/oCT. mention  their  having 
compared  arctic  specimens  with  one  from  the  interior  of  China,  and  they  found  no 
difference.  The  geographical  distribution  may  therefore  extend  to  a  greater  range 
.{j_j,^._-  ..,pp„,g«3  —f^rope,  China;  and  America.  — Ed. 


A' 


MAGPIE. 


317 


The  figure  on  the  plate  is  reduced  to 


difference  could  be  perceived, 
exactly  half  tiie  size  of  life. 

This  bird  unites  in  its  character,  courage  and  cunninff.  turbulencv 
andrapaoty  Not  inelegantly  formed,  and  distinouished  riav  a^ 
lt^"^^::t'^'''r'^'l  ^''  han  long'beoM  noted^in  tho.e7o.fE 
mSv  L?  """'i/  '■•^•''^''?  =''?'^  ^'^  *^"^^t^  ^''^  ™^""«''^  «ro  there  ta- 
Ss    o.r""-   ^^  ''  P'^'-t'cularly  pernicious  to  plantations  of  young 

bers'oAhi?^'  "''  *''*"  f  °''"''  ""•^  "^'^'^  t"  ^''^'^  destroying  great  num! 
bers  of  their  eggs  and  young,  even  young  chickens,  partridges,  {..ouse 

Tllt^fT-  ^'  '\  P^""-'V^P^  «"  this  las"t  account  that  th^whofe  ven-' 
parts  of  R,n'i  °""'  ^'^'  ''\'  '""''j'  ''^""  ^^^  '"'^^^  "P°"  ''"»  i"  «omo 
Sums  it^  til  ''  "PPi'^^^V  "f'°!^"*^  ^'•'""  t'''^t  q"^^rter,  where  pre- 
™tS  i'nflic't  f  1  '  ""n  ^P"""*^  ^r  '"'  ''^^^'  ^^  ^"  arch  poacher ;  and  pen- 
Under  the  h°nr  ^f°''  "^'^^  P'""^  '^""  t°  ^^'^^'l  «"  their  premises, 
unuoi  the  lasii  o  such  rigorous  persecution,  a  few  years  will  proba- 
bly exterminate  the  whole  tribe  from  the  island.     He  is  also  dest^uc- 

Sitvlvf''''7''"^°'"''"'^f'  '^  "°'^^'  ^""i  restless,  a  1st  con. 
?o  1  Ul./m  h'r  r'iP''''.l°  P^r^'  ""^'^^''^  «"  ^^  ''^^ks'of  the  cattle, 
to  rid  them  of  the  larvm  that  fester  in  the  skin;  is  content  with  car- 
rion when  nothmg  better  offers;  eats  various  kind  of  vegetables  and 
ttr'^Jh"''^!  ^  ^''^'  "rr-  '^"'^  •"^'^^t^  °f  "l'"«^t  every  desS- 
voTce  L T.  n°rTf ''*' ^f  '^  ^^-ily. taught  to  imitate  the  huma'^ 
hS  n?h-    .   K""i;f  '^"'■'^'  P'''''"^  tJ'^tinctly;  has  all  the  pilfering 

order;  and  is  on  the  whole,  a  crafty,  restless,  and  noisy  bird. 

nest  which?.  L'.^?'''  ^  ''^!.  '\'\^^^''J^^S  the  f,rm  l.ouse,  for  his 
^fL  f  IS  placed  among  the  highest  branches  ;  this  is  large,  com- 
posed outwardly  of  sticks,  roots,  turf,  and  dry  weeds,  and  veil  lined 
witii  wool,  cow  hair,  and  feathers;  the  whole  is  surrounded,  roo?ed. 
and  barricaded  with  thorns,  leaving  only  a  narrow  entrance.    The 

E  r  rr"^  ^'''  1  ''\  ^■"^^"^^'^  ^«l"^'  -""ked  with  numerous 
black  or  dusky  spots.  In  the  northern  parts  of  Europe,  he  migrates 
at  the  commencement  of  winter.  ""giaits 

In  this  country,  the  Magpie  was  first  taken  notice  of  at  the  factories 
tn  En!,"^i  "'"'  r"  ""^'T''  ^^y'  ^^''^rethe  Indians  used  sometimes 
L  „r^  ■ '"'  T?''  "''^'^  '^'  l^""  ""'"°  "^  Heart-bird, -for  what  reason 
IS  uncertain.  It  appears,  jiowever,  to  be  rUhor  rare  in  that  quarter. 
Ihesj  circumstances  are  taken  notice  of  by  Mr.  Pennant  and  other 
Uritish  naturalists. 

In  1804,  an  exploring  party  under  the  command  of  Captains  Lewis 
and  Clark  on  their  route  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  across  the  continent,  first 
met  with  the  Magpie  somewliere  near  the  great  bend  cf  the  Missouri, 
and  found  t^iat  t he  number  of  these  birds  increased  as  thev  advanced 
Here  also  the  Blue  Jay  disappeared ;  as  if  the  territorial  boundaries 
ami  jurisdiction  of  these  two  noisy  and  voracious  families  of  the  same 
tribe  had  been  mutually  agreed  on,  and  distinctlv  settled.  But  the 
Magpie  was  found  to  be  far  more  dRring  than  tlie  .Tay,  dashing  into 
their  very  tents,  and  carrying  off  t!ie  meat  from  the  dishes.  One  of 
the  hunters  who  accompanied  the  expedition  informed  mt.  N'.at  thev 
frequently  attended  him  while  he  was  engaged  in  skinning  and  clean- 
ins  the  eareass  of  tne  deer,   bear,  or  bullalo  he  had  kiUed,  otteu 


818 


CROW. 


seizing  the  meat  l  mt  hung  within  a  foot  or  two  of  his  head.  On  the 
shortJ^of  the  Koos-koos-kc  river,  op  the  west  side  of  the  great  range 
of  Rocky  Mountains,  they  were  f.;una  to  be  oqir.lly  nurncrona. 

It  is  highly  probable  that  tho  .9  v*>st  nlainfc:  .t  praun-s,  abounding 
with  game  and  cattle,  frequently  kiUc  w  for  the  mere  hi.les,  tallow,  or 
«.ven  marrow-bones,  may  be  oi,'  grjaUnducerr^nt  lov.ne  residency 
of  these  birds,  so  fond  of  flesh  uid  crivrion.  Ever.  U  e  ngoroiis  se- 
verity of  winter  in  the  (i.oh  regi.)i>s  along  the  ne^d  ^.  u-rs  of  Rio  du 
Nord,  the  Arkaiiuaw,  atidRed  Rivor,  seems  msufficiimi  to  force  them 
irom  those  favorite  haunts  ;  tliough  A.  appears  to  increase  their  natural 
vorudty  to  a  v  rv  uncommon  degree.  Colonel  Pike  relates,  that  in 
the  T.ionth  of  December,  in  the  neirrhborhood  of  the  North  Mountain, 
K  ki  41°  W.  loiiT.  34^  Reaumurs  ;'\ermometer  staiidnig  at  17  be- 
low 0,'these  birds  were  .  een  in  great  numbers.  'Our  horses,"  says 
he  "  w  re  oblige  I  to  srrapc  the  t^now  away  to  obtain  their  miserable 
pittance;  and,  to  incre^de  'ieir  misfortuiu  j,  the  poor  animals  were 
attacked  by  the  Magpies,  v  ho,  attnvr-tod  by  the  scent  of  their  sore 
backs,  ;slighted  on  them,  and,  in  defiar;;.>  of  their  wincing  and  kicking, 
nxked  many  places  quite  raw;  the  difficulty  of  procuring  food  ren- 
d  ring  those  birds  so  bold,  as  to  alight  on  our  men's  arms,  and  eat 

meat  out  of  their  hands."  *  ,        ,      u     u     j         i     . «.- 

The  Mairpie  is  eighteen  inches  in  length ;  the  head,  neck,  upper 
part  of  the  breast  and  baci^  are  a  deep  velvety  black ;  primaries, 
brownish  black,  streaked  along  their  inner  vanes  with  white;  second- 
aries, rich  purplish  blue;  <neater  coverts,  green  blue;  scapulars, 
lower  part  of  the  breast  and  b-lly,  white  ;  thighs  and  vent, black ;  tail, 
lonff  ;  the  two  exterior  feather.?  scarcely  half  the  length  of  the  longest, 
the  others  increasing  to  the  luo  middle  ones  which  taper  towards 
their  extremities.  The  color  of  this  part  of  the  plumage  is  very 
splendid,  being  glossy  green,  dallied  with  blue  and  bright  purpe ;  this 
last  color  bounds  the  green;  nostrils,  covered  with  a  thick  tuft  of 
recumbent  hairs,  as  are  also  the  sides  of  the  mouth;  bill,  legs,  and 
feet,  glossy  black.  The  female  differs  only  in  the  less  brilliancy  of 
her  plumage. 


CROW— CORVUS  CORONE.t  — Fio.  166. 

Peale's  Museum,  No.  1246. 
CORVUS   OOflOJVJ:?— LixKJto*. 

This  is  perhaps  the  most  generally  known,  and  lea^t  beloved,  of  all 
our  land  birds ;  having  neither  melody  of  song,  nor  beauty  of  plumage, 
nor  excellence  of  flesh,  nor  civility  of  manners  to  recommend  him ;  on 

t  "  The''v:Jce"f'lhis  Si  is  s,  ■  ...-kably  different  from  that  of  the  Cnrone  of 
EuropI,  thai  i  wl  Ki  first  icd  t.  ..eve  it  a  distinct  .pec.es  5  but  the  mast  .crupu- 


cuow, 


319 


thecontraiy  he  is  branded  as  a  tliiof  and  a  i.lundcro  -a  kind  nf 
black-coated  vagabond,  wi.o  hovers  over  tl.,  lh-\ds    f  tl..>  hulSoul 

expectations.    Hated  as  he  is  by  the  fanner,  wuclicd  and  i),>rreciifP<l 

had  not  Heaven  bestowed  on  him  iiitellijrcnct!  and  sajracitv  far  bevonrl 
common,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  ti.e  whole  tribe  (if  tk^eSs 
at  lea«l)  would  long  ago  liave  ceased  to  exist.  '    ^" 

_  Ihe  Crow  is  a  constant  attendant  on  ao-ricultnre  and  t  .rpn^-ni 
.nhabitanto    the  cultivated  parts  of  North  An.eH      '  fntht-f  tero 

HP,,  /T  ^'''  """■^'  l""^'  ""l'^^^  «'"""?  the  season  of  breeS 
He  IS  particularly  attached  to  low  Hat  corn  countries  Ivinrr  in  tl». 
neigJiborhood  of  the  sea,  or  of  large  rivers;  and  S  ,  u    ?rous  in 

Z  SowsT/*''"  ir'J"''"  '''''f'  "''^'^'^  ^'"'^"••'^^  abound  whwom 
the  Crows  are  unable  to  contend.     A  btron^r  antipatliv  it  is  also  "n\A 

prevails  between  the  Crow  and  the  Raven,^insoXc7ll  a  w  erel^^^ 

latter  is   numerous,  the  former  n.roly  resides.    MarV  of     he  £ 

tTme'dn'"  ^'"''"'^  ''"""'^y  ''^^■'^  '"*«'-'"^''  '-'  t.  at,  for  a  long 

thTl'^fJ  ''m  ""'"f""«  wiM.tliem,  but  no  Cows;  and  even  now 

•  SLI    if  f  V^'^.""'  "^'''''^'^  •"  tl'nt  country.     [»  travelling  from 

N^hvi  le  to  Natchez,  a  distance  of  four  hundred  an.l  seventv  i^ileH 

numb^I  "■■  "°  ^'■""''  ""'  ^'^"•^"^  '■'•^'^"^"^'J''  »"d  Vulture/ in  grea! 

AnTi*?^  "'^ual  breeding  time  of  the  Crow,  in  Ponniylvania,  is  in  March 

wSLfn  n^''^'  ''"/""^^  ^''"^''  ^^"^«"  they  are  dispered  over  the 
woods  in  pairs,  and  roost  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  tree  thev  have 
je^cted  for  their  ne.t.  About  the  middle  of  March  they  5in  to 
DrJ^il  "n'f  choosing  a  high  tree;  thongh  I  have  also  knoWher^ 
forifpH  1";'''''^''"".*^  'r^'^"-  ^"«  -^^  their  nests,  now  before  me  ™ 
formed  ex  ernally  of  sticks,  wet  moss,  thin  bark,  mixed  with  mossv 

Se'tTaVhai?  TJ^  'T  ^"'""^^^1- o'f  hor.e  hai^,  to  thelinTo? 
^Prl=A  A  ,  pound  Home  cow  hair,  and  some  wool,  formine  a 
S-pf  T.'^  '^''t.c  bed.  The  egfrs  are  four,  of  a  pale  green  color 
marked  with  numerous  specks  and  blotches  of  olive  ^  ' 

l^urmg  this  interesting  season,  the  male  is  extremely  watchful,  mak- 

Europor„s;oclenVTnd    »^         ^''  '"'''"  ""^'''•^  "^  "I'tain  for  comparison  wilh 


ajo 


CROW. 


ing  frequent  excureions  of  half  u  nulo  or  so  in  'ircuit,  to  reconnoitre ; 
and  the  instant  he  observes  fi  person  approacliii  ff,  he  gives  the  alarm, 
when  botii  nmlo  and  female  retire  to  a  distance  till  the  intruder  haa 
o-one  past.  He  also  regularly  carries  food  to  his  mate,  while  she  is 
sitting;  occasionally  relieves  her;  and,  when  she  returns,  again  resigns 
up  his  post  At  this  time,  also,  as  well  as  until  the  young  are  able  to 
fly,  they  preserve  uncommon  silence,  that  their  retreat  may  not  be 

suspected.  . ,  „       „  ^         ^u  ^  ^u 

It  is  in  the  month  of  May,  and  until  the  middle  of  June,  that  the 
Crow  is  most  destructive  to  the  corn-fields,  digging  up  the  newly 
planted  grains  of  muize,  pulling  up  by  the  roots  those  that  have  begun 
to  vegetate,  and  thus  frequently  obliging  the  farmer  to  replant,  or  lose 
the  benefit  of  the  soil ;  and  this  sometimes  twice,  and  even  three  times, 
occasioning  a  considerable  additional  expense,  and  inequality  of  har- 
vest   No  mercy  is  now  shown  him.     The  myriads  of  worms,  moles, 
mice,  caterpillars,  grubs,  and  beetles,  which  he  lias  destroved,  are 
altogetlier  overlooked  on  these  occasions.    Detected  in  robbing  the 
hens'  nests,  pulling  up  the  corn,  and  killing  the  young  chickens,  he  is 
considered  as  an  outlaw,  and  sentenced  to  destruction.    But  the  great 
difficulty  is,  how  to  put  this  sentmice  in  execution.    In  vain  the  gun- 
ner skulks  along  tlie  hedges  and  fences ;  his  faithful  sentinels,  planted 
on  some  commanding  point,  raise  the  alarm,  and  disappoint  vengeance 
of  its  object.    The  coast  again  clear,  he  returns  once  more  in  silence, 
to  finish  the  repast  he  had  b(^gun.     Sometimes  he  approaches  the  farm- 
house by  stealth,  in  search  of  young  Chickens,  which  he  is  in  the  habit 
of  snatching  off,  when  he  can  elude  tlie  vigilance  of  tlie  motlier  hen, 
who  often  proves  too  formidublo  for  him.     A  few  days^  ago,  a  Crow 
was  observed  eagerly  attempting  to  seize  some  young  Chickens  in  an 
orchard,  near  the  room  where  1  write ;  but  these  clustering  close  round 
the  Hen,  she  resolutely  defended  them,  drove  the  Crow  into  an  apple- 
tree,  whitlier  she  instantly  pursued  him  witii  such  spirit  and  intrepidity 
that  he  was  glad  to  make  a  speedy  retreat,  and  abando  i  his  design. 

The  Crow  himself  sometimes  falls  a  prey  to  the  superior  strength 
and  rapacity  of  the  great  Owl,  whose  weapons  of  offence  are  by  far  the 
more  formidable  of  the  two.* 

*  "  A  few  years  ato,"  says  an  obliging  corespondent.  "  I  resided  on  the  banks  of 
the  Hudson,  about  seven  miles  from  the  ci.^  of  New  York.    Not  far  from  the  place 
of  my  residence  was  a  pretty  thick  wood  or  swamp,  m  which  great  numbers  ol 
Crows,  who  used  to  cross  ilie  river  from  the  opposite  shore,  were  accustomed  to 
roost.    Returning  homeward  one  aftermion,  from  a  shooting  excursion,  I  had  occa- 
sion to  pass  through  this  swamp.    It  was  near  sunset,  and  troops  of  Crows  were 
flying  in  all  directions  over  my  head.    While  engaged  in  observing  their  flight,  and 
endeavoring  to  select  from  among  them  an  object  to  shoot  at,  my  ears  were  sud- 
denly assailed  by  the  distressful  cries  of  a  Crow,  who  was  evidently  struggling 
under  the  talons  of  a  merciless  and  rapacious  fiieiny.     I  hastened  to  the  spot 
whence  the  sounds  proceeded,  and,  to  my  great  surprise,  found  a  Crow  lying  on 
the  ground,  just  expiring,  and,  sealed  upon  tlie  body  of  the  yet  warm  and  bleeding 
quarry,  a  laro-e  brmcn  CM,  who  was  beginning  to  make  a  meal  of  the  unfortiinatc 
vobber  of  corn-fields.    Perceiving  my  approach,  he  forsook  his  prey  with  evident 
reluctance,  and  flew  into  a  tree  at  a  little  distance,  where  he  sat  watching  all  mv 
movements,  niternatelv  regarding,  with  longing  eyes,  the  victim  he  had  been  forced 
to  leave  and  darling  at  me  no  very  friendly  looks,  that  seemed  to  reproach  me  lor 
having  deprived  him  of  his  expected  regale.     1  confess  that  the  scene  before  ine 
was  iUtogether  novel  and  surprising.    I  am  but  little  conversant  with  natural  his- 


CROW. 


331 


i'l.o  l.l.irk.;n.in^.  (mh.s  .WCruwH  t.,  ,|,eir  re;:o»o. 

matted" toTeth",-      The  n 'it    ■  p^^.^^k  '''T"  """  '?'°'^'""  *^"^^"  '-^"d 

an<l  (hat  ho  obtained  his  Je  m.her  by  f  ud  S'.i'rT,^  "'  '"T'  ^T"""  '^'''''*^-  *'^- 
and  violence.  I  was  the  moironfirn  od  in  .h  f  ?T'  "''l"  ''-^  T*"'"  '•"Pa'^">' 
passnjre  i„  Macbell,,  whichTow  fo  brTro ntrre  1  to  m^  T  ""  '''■'■:]!'« ^"°"  °f  ^ 
of  Kmi^  Uniicaii  are  recountniff  to  each  oir,r  h  v.,?^  memory. -The  courtiers 
h.s  death,  and  one  of  then,  re  Jes  tSs  wt dSg^rdLs'/fi'"  ""'  ""^"''^'^ 

An  Eagle,  towering  in  hia  pride  of  plac- 
Was  by  a  moimng  Owl,  hawked  at  and  killed. 

Cr<!J^h':L""^:u7b;^t'"d"Jt'"I;t%?h:;  i:^  JV"-d--."rthe  ..„fortuna.e 
fired  mv  gun  since  I  entered  the  wood  nor  hp»^.  ^"^  "^^^  '",  ■*'«*"'  ^  ^^'^  "»' 
unequivocal  situationrXh  I  frnd  the  n.nt  ^"^  m  l**''"  f''°°' '  '"'''<^«'''  'he 
fore  any  twelve  good  nTen  and  S' o  a  inrvn/ T"'''  ^^^«  ''«<^»  «»«i<=ient  be- 
of  his  guilt.    I,  is  nroneTto  adH  iT»t'  T     ''J"'^^,"^  *^/°^s,  to  have  convicted  him 

e  well?aimed    h^at^the  fli  Job'b^rtL?^^ 

pound."  'B'ODious  roDber,  that  extended  him  breathless  on  tJie 


f 


I 


'■,41 


'  t. 


;of 


322 


UROW. 


The  strong  attachment  of  tlie  CrowB  to  thm  sjot  n.  .•  be  '""«  ™tcd 
bv  th.«  following  circutr-stance:  Some  years  ago,  a  H.uldon  and  violent 
K-e^Hto  m  ctt.ne  un  during  the  night,  and  the  fde  r.smg  lu  an 
M,.,uon  height,  inundutod  the  whole  island.  The  darkneHS  ot  the 
,  .!  'he  suddonr-  and  violoce  of  the  storm,  and  the  incessan 
„;.enta  .f  rain  that  toll,  it  is  supposed,  so  intimidated  tl.e  V,!:";;f;  '^ 
thoy  did  not  attempt  to  escape,  and  almost  all  penshed.  ^  ^"^'  f 
of  them  were  next  day  seen  floating  in  the  river ;  and  the  wind,  s  ull- 
mg  to  3.0  norUiwest,  drove  their  dead  bodies  to  the  Jc..,cy  side,  where 
for  miles  they  blackened  the  whole  shore.  •     i .  fv. 

This  disaster,  however,  seems  long  ago  to  have  been  repaired    for 
t},ey  now  con.r;p^nte  on  the  Pea  Patcli  in  an  immense  multitudes 

"^sTuniversal  is  the  hatred  to  Crows,  that  few  states,  either  here  or 
in  Europe,  huve  neglected  to  offer  rewards  for  their  dostrut- n..n.  In 
Se  United  States,  tley  have  been  repeatedly  ranked  m  -^ri^^^JJ^h 
Sie  wolves,  the  pantfi.-rs,  foxes,  and  squirrels,  and  a  pruportionable 
plemimn  ofllred  for  their  heads,  to  be  paid  by  any  justice  of  tl.e  peace 
S  whom  they  arc  delivered.  On  all  Uiese  accounts,  various  nodes 
hav..  beru  invented  for  capturing  them.  Thoy  h'^ve  been  ukou  n 
clap  nets,  commonly  used  for  taking  pio-ons  ;  two  or  three  ive  Crows 
being  previously  procured  as  decoys,  or,  as  they  are  ou  led,  &<oo/- 
CroiL  Corn  hai  been  steeped  in  a  strong  decoction  ut  hnllebore, 
which,  when  eaten  by  them,  produces  giddiness,  f^^^y^.i^J' J^^^'^' 
death.  Pieces  of  paper  formed  mto  th.  shape  of  a  hollow  co  e, 
besm^ar.il  wiUiin  wiUi  birdlime,  and  a  grain  or  two  of  com  dropped  un 
Sie  botto  1  have  also  been  adopted.  Number,  of  these  being  placed 
mi  a  e  eround,  where  corn  has  be-n  r.V  nted,  tiie  Crows  .  .tempting  to 
r^ach  the  grains,  are  instantly  h..  dwiaKed,  fly  directly  upwards  o  a 
creat  ei4t;  but  generally  descend  near  the  spot  wh-r.-.e  they 
fose  nular.-  easily  taken.  Th.  reeds  of  tho>r  roosting  y'  es  ar> 
romethnl-  se,  on  fire  during  a  dark  night,  the  gunners  navmg 

previously  posted  Uiemselves  around,  tiie  Crows  rise  in  great  u  ar, 
5,  ainiditlie  general  consternation,  by  tl  •  light  of  the  b  ur^ 
hiiitlreds  of  them  are  t.ii.,1  down.  .     ,t,    r- n  ctrotn 

Cruws  have  been  employed  to  cateh  Crows,  by  the  followu.^  strato- 
een  •  A  %e  Crow  ,s  pinned  by  the  wings  down  to  the  ground  un  his 
Kck  1  ^  .  eans  of  twS  sharp,  forked  sticks.  Thus  situated,  h.s  cries 
are  io  nd  inc(  -ant,  particulurly  if  any  otlier  Crows  are  witlun 
vSw     These,  sweeping  d'own  about  him,  are  instantly  grappled  i.y  the 

*  The  following  is  cxtraacd  from  a  late  number  of  a   newspaper  pri..U-<l  in  ibat 

ev         to  '      or  banish  ihe  Crc^v.  from  u.eir  roost  .,n  the  Pea  faich,  ana  gi^ 

•"i  V  of  tJTnJr^S'  :ilL  boin.  .hn  quired,  th.  committee  beg 
,eav.  fo  HddrJ^  .Lfarmars  an  .hers  o,  Ne«c..tlc  county  and  elsewhere  m 
llie  sulyect." 


CKOW. 

rnnJlrr"'''''  ^y  thosarne  instinctive  impulse  that  urgen  a  drown- 
l^.!Ji   f"  ^"^  ^Jy^'  "}  •'^^'•y  tf'ing  ulthin  hiH  rea..l,.    lfavin/,hHon 
fxuor1mon^^.""'/'r  '"'"  f^'^tchenAhe  trap  i«  ,..ai»  roa  l/^   UoE; 
oxporiment;  an.l  by  pinning  do»vn  each  captivtsBuccPssiVeK    as  soon 
08  taken,  m  a  short  time  you  will  probably  Le  a  largXcr."^^^^^^^^^^ 

tanners,  however,  are  content  with  hanffinsr  ud  tho  skinH  n,  i  i 
:EE  ^'n^thT^ni;  'r  ^^^^^-'^^^yn^eZn^^^^  tSs^ieS 
ammSL  .  ^  "'  ''?''P'"S  ""«  «<  ^heir  peopio  su.  'io<f  witJ. 
Cmvr.S'  ''"'*  «:'"«tantlv  on  the  look  out.     In  hard    vi„t<       the 

&  field^anron^'hr  "^'"f  ""T  ''^^^'^««"  «''««^«'J  ^o  fall  dovn 
or^lr^^iZ't/T^r^^^h^^  -d  hunger.    In 


.  -  .  ..™  ,,.tiv.c;ii  ai  <i  proper  ois 
wftJ?  th^'nJf ''"^?'7'""?  '™'^'-'-     '^^^  Pre.nium8"aw;rd;d'}br'"^'e8"e 

Porters  t:'iixr.»e:t%fa5r"i 

Crou,  h.ppo„i„5  to  pas,  bT     f  oT  ,K„T     ,   lid/rfe"*' 


^^ 


334 


(ROW. 


Tin-  habits  of  the  Crow  in  hia  native  state  are  bo  generally  known 
as  to  reciuire  little  further  illustration.  Ilin  wut.  htiilnesa,  uml  jealous 
BaRucity  ia  di«tinKuiHhiiiK  a  imtsoh  with  a  j,n'n,  are  notorious  to  every 
one.  In  spring,  when  he  niakeH  Imh  appearance  among  the  grovon  u nd 
low  thickets,  the  whole  feaUiered  .sonjrater«  aro  instantly  alurmed,  well 
knowin.r  the  ilepredaUonH  and  murders  ho  conimits  on  their  ncstfl, 
eL'Cs,  and  younir.  Fc  v  of  them,  however,  have  the  coui;i  -  to  attack 
hn  1,  oxce|,t  the  King  Bird,  who,  on  tliene  occasions,  teas.s  and  pur- 
sues hiui  irom  place  to  place,  diving  on  his  back  while  h.jjh  in  air,  and 
harassing  him  for  u  great  distance.  A  sintrle  pair  oi  these  noble- 
spirited  Im-ds,  whoso  nest  was  built  near,  have  been  known  to  protect 
a  whole  held  of  corn  from  tiic  depredations  ot  the  Crows,  not  pcrmit- 

tintr  one  to  approach  it  ,    .         r    ^ 

The  Crow  is  eighteen  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  three  feet  two 
inches  in  extent;  the  general  color  is  a  shining  glossy  blue  black, 
with  purplish  reflections  ;  Uie  throat  and  lower  i)arta  are  l.^ss  glossy  ; 
the  bill  and  legs,  a  shining  black,  the  former  two  inchc  and  a  quarter 
long,  very  strong,  and  covered  at  the  base  with  thick  tulls  ol  recum- 
beiit  feathers  ;  tlin  wings,  when  shut,  reach  within  an  inch  and  a  quar- 
ter  of  the  tip  of  the  tail,  which  is  rounded  ;  tourti.  uriniiuy,  the  long- 
est ;  secondaries  scolloped  at  the  ends,  and  minuiuiy  pointed,  by  tlio 
prolongation  of  the  shaa ;  iris,  dark  hazel. 

The  above  description  agrees  so  nearly  with  tlu  huropenri  species, 
as  to  satisfy  me  that  they  are  the  same  ;  though  the  voice  ot  ours  is 
said  to  be  less  harsh,  not  unlike  the  barking  of  a  smal  spnniel:  the 
nointedness  of  the  ends  of  tfie  tail-feathers,  mentioned  by  Luropean 
naturalists,  and  occasioned  by  the  extension  of  the  shafts,  is  rarely  ob- 
served in  tlx  present  species;  though  always  very  observable  in  the 

secondaries.  ,  n       i       i        i 

The  female  differs  from  the  male  in  being  more  dull  colored,  and 
rather  deHcient  in  tfie  glossy  and  purplish  tints  and  reflections.  1  ho 
difference,  however,  is  not  great  ,        ,.     ,         ,.  ♦   i     i„„ 

Besides  grain,  insects,  and  carrion,  ihey  feed  on  frogs,  tadpoles, 
small  fish,  lizards,  ond  shell  fish;  with  the  latter  they  fre.;  ,en  ly 
mount  to  a  great  height,  dropping  them  on  the  rocks  below  and  de- 
scending after  them  to  pick  upthecoritents.  The  same  habit  is  ob- 
servable in  the  Gull,  the  Raven,  and  Sea-side  Crow.  Many  other 
aquatic  insects,  as  well  as  marine  plants,  furnish  tlir,  i  with  food; 
which  accounts  for  their  being  so  generally  found,  and  so  numerous, 
on  the  sea  shore,  and  along  tlie  banki  ?f  our  large  rivers. 


WHITK-HEADRD,  OR  IJAI.D  EAGLE. 


tions.    The 


WIIITE-FIEADED,  OR  BALD  FAQLE.--FALCO  LEUCOCE- 
PHALUS  .    Fio.  157. 

ph&\a;  North.  Zool"\!p:ih!^'  "'•^'P'-^*'  ""»'e-A.i«,la  (Halin-eius)  loucoce- 

id 


by  many  ornithologists;  some  o?  a  Intor  Zl''    "'  f"-';!! ''""'S''' <o  he  Ihe  sam 
to  he  nnahio  ,o  sa„sfy  tn'omsI-e^V^^S /^'^  IK^^    <<>  confound  , hem,  nn 
been  left  m  (  uubi  in  a  work  Whlnh  i!5.„       *'        ••istnirtion.     J  he  siili)ert  has  eve 
British  student.    TleyTr^leci  ediv  diSn!!.  7^'"'"^''''"^    "u^  '^  tei't-book  ,„  ,hc 
of  the  other  in   Oieir^, speetiv.  ^^^^^^  form 

allncUla,  is,  I  believe,  cxclnsively  Euro^an  •  I  o  iPZL^J  P«'"'  "'i^''""' 
'IVmniinck,  is  common  to  the  .iorUiPr?.  i.nl;  i»'cocephatm,  nccordina-  to 

VVorhUhoushmuch  moj^  S.  ifi"^  atVl'":  ,ll''h- h'''   ^"'"u^*^" 

once  .i.stn,s,„shod,  and  the  confusion  ean  only  have  J  rn  ^fm  ^If'^'  -""^  '"'  "' 
theyoimg:  when  closely  compared  thev  wi  I  nllX  )  j  "°^  '*"'  similarity  of 
dislmntions.  ^  lomparea,  tney  will  also  be  found  to  possess  considerable 

^io'n'VSr  several  years'-  diafrAmeriin"'"  '''  '""'  ^^f'^  «"-  "'  -y  P— 
constantly  in  mo-^on  a  u  teL^Tl  v  01,'^!?.  'l"if  "'"•  r^^'le'"  i"  disposition,  is 
are  .lifficlilt  to  be  tamed  but  the  stjlror  wit 'h^  ll"'^?"  "^^  ""'^  «Pccies 
out.  Though  four  y,-ars  ol  he  head  nnd  in  h  "^  """r  '"  •  '""'P  '"  ''"  '"'^■■•"''d 
ness,bein.  still  mafked  wilj' .'o„,e"atc  J^s  o  broZ^tu'rr'^'r""  V'^  ^^''"«- 
inyariah  V  the  case  with  birds  in  ,.,    r.„l       ,  I-  "'°^"  >  °"'  '  "ave  found  this  to  be 

required  to  compL^e"lheir'^f";£^'^?U™^^  -^^-?  '-'"^  "-" 

suf.posed  time  m  a  wild  state.  Fish  is  nrefer^^H  ?f »  .P"""!.  '\  "'•'  SP"erally 
nothing  appears  to  come  amiss  to  them!^  °  *"^  °'''"  '^°^'  "^^  *"'"',  but 


Savigny  established 


Eagles 
as 


prey,  or  in  the  breedin<r  season  m,.rhT!f 'i  •  "»?"«■  .""'ess  when  in  search  of 
fe  Ihe  pnnoral  charK  of  tC  ip  our  n^t  T'"'-  ^11'^  '"">' '"'  '«''' '" 
..aye  a  d.posifon  more  akin  to  .^fZ'y' ^ZJir^^  haTe' s^'eSir;:;  l"; 


t  Mr.  Audi 
leconil  vBi-  ■• 


'^n  pr»m'4"e.  '"''"*  ''"''^''"  •'  "^•""'^  '■'y-' '"  »  wild  «tato  thoy  l.re.d  the 

28 


I'? 

! 


326 


WHITE-HEADED,  OR  BALD  EAGLE. 


there,  aa  for  the  numerous  carcasses  of  squirrels,  deer,  bears,  and  va- 
rious other  animals,  that  in  tlieir  attempts  to  cross  the  river  above  the 
Falls,  have  been  dragged  into  the  current,  and  precipitated  down  that 
tremendous  gu'f.  where,  among  the  rocks  that  bound  tiic  Rapids  be- 
low, they  furnish  a  rich  repast  for  the  Vulture,  the  Raven,  and  the 
Bald  Eagle,  the  subject  of  the  present  account  Tins  bird  has  been 
long  known  to  naturalists,  being  common  to  both  continents,  and  occa- 

savnn-e  in  his  cage ;  in  his  naiive  wilds  he  seems  little  less  so.  Fish  is  the  favorite 
foodrthough  they  do  not  seem  able  to  take  them  by  plunging,  but  content  them- 
selves  witTi  either  seizing  from  the  Ospreys  what  they  have  caught,  or,  where  the 
water  is  so  shallow  as  to  allow  thiw,  clutch  the  (ish  without  diving.  Audubon 
savs  it  only  now  and  then  procures  fish  for  itself.  Ho  has  seen  them  several  times 
attempting  to  take  red-fins  by  wading  briskly  through  the  water,  arid  striking  at 
them  with  their  bill.  When  fish  are  not  to  be  had,  they  appear  hardly  contented 
with  the  smaller  animals  or  birds;  pigs  and  sheep  are  a  common  faro,  and  our 
author  has  even  mentioned  one  instance  of  a  child  being  attacked.  1  he  male  and 
female  hunt  in  concert,  and  it  must  be  when  attacking  some  large-winged  game, 
or  water-fowl,  which  have  had  recourse  to  the  lake  or  river  for  safety,  that  their  en- 
ern-ies  will  be  best  observed.     Audubon  thus  describes  a  Swan  hunt :  — 

*?•  The  next  moment,  however,  the  wild  trumpet-like  sound  of  a  yet  distant  but 
approaching  Swan  is  heard  :  a  shriek  from  the  female  Eagle  comes  across  the 
stream  ;  for  she  is  fully  as  alert  as  her  mate.  The  snow-white  bird  is  now  m  sight : 
her  long  neck  is  stretched  forward;  her  eye  is  on  the  watch,  vigilant  as  that  ot 
her  ene-Tiy;  her  large  wings  seem  with  difilicully  to  support  the  weight  ot  her 
body  although  they  ilap  incessantly.  So  irksome  do  her  exertions  seem,  that  her 
very  icn-s  are  spread  beneath  her  tail,  to  aid  her  in  her  flight,  fehe  approaches ; 
Ihe'Eagle  has  marked  her  for  his  prey.  As  the  Swan  is  passing  the  dreaded  pair, 
starts  (rom  hi-  perch,  in  full  preparation  for  the  chase,  the  male  bird,  with  an  awlul 

"  Now  is  the  moment  to  witness  a  display  of  the  Eagle's  powers.  He  glides 
through  the  air  like  a  falling  star,  and,  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  comes  upon  the 
timorous  quarry,  which  now,  in  agony  and  despair,  seeks,  by  various  manoeuvres, 
to  elude  the  grasp  of  his  cruel  talons.  It  mounts,  doubles,  and  willingly  would 
plunge  into  the  stream,  were  it  not  prevented  by  the  Eagle,  which,  long  possessed 
of  the  knowledge  that,  by  such  a  stratagem,  the  Swan  might  escape  him,  forces  it 
to  remain  in  the  air,  by  attempting  to  strike  it  with  his  talons  from  beneatti.  I  lie 
hope  of  escape  is  soon  given  up  by  the  Swan.  It  has  already  become  much  weak- 
ened, and  its  strength  fails  at  the  sight  of  die  courage  and  swiftness  of  its  antago- 
nist. Its  last  gasp  is  about  to  escape,  when  the  ferocious  Eagle  strikes  with  Ins  tal- 
(ms  the  under  side  of  its  wing,  and,  with  uiiresisicil  power,  forces  the  bird  to  fall 
in  a  slanting  direction  upon  the  nearest  shore."  ,•  , .  j       .u- 

And,  again,  when  hunting  in  concert  after  some  bud  which  has  ahghted  on  the 

"  At  other  times,  when  these  Eagles,  sailing  in  search  of  prey,  discover  a  Goose, 
a  Duck,  or  a  Swan,  that  has  alighted  on  the  water,  they  ac.omplish  it.s  deslrnclion 
in  a  manner  that  is  worthy  of  our  attention.  Well  aware  that  water-fowl  have  it 
in  their  power  to  dive  at  iheir  approach,  and  thereby  elude  their  attempts  upon 
Ihem,  they  ascend  in  the  air.  in  opposite  directions,  over  the  lake  or  river  on  which 
the  object  which  they  are  desirous  of  possessing  lias  been  observed.  Hoth  reacn 
a  certain  height,  immediately  after  which,  one  of  them  glnles  with  great  swillness 
towards  the  prey;  the  latter,  meantime,  awnrc  of  the  Eagle's  intention,  dives  the 
moment  before  he  reaches  the  spot.  The  pursuer  then  rises  in  the  air,  and  is  met 
Sy  its  mate,  which  glides  toward  the  water-bird,  that  has  just  oincrged  to  breathe, 
and  forces  il  to  plunge  again  beneath  the  surface,  to  escape  the  talons  of  this  second 
assailant.  The  first  Eagle  is  now  poising  itself  in  the  place  where  Us  mate  lormer- 
Iv  wa«,  and  rushes  anew,  to  force  the  quarry  to  make  another  plunge.  ny  thus 
alternately  gliding,  in  rapid  and  often-repeated  rushes,  over  the  ill-fated  bird,  they 
soon  fatigue  it.  when  if  str<!iches  out  its  neck,  swims  deeply,  and  makes  lor  the 
shore  in  the  hope  of  concealing  ilse.f  among  Ihe  rank  weeds.  Hut  this  is  ot  no 
avail ;  for  the  Eagles  follow  it  in  all  its  motions ;  and  the  moment  it  approaches 
the  maigin,  one  ui  iiieui  liui'ttf  upoD  it. 


WHITE-HEADED,  OR  HA  1,1)  I'AGl.E. 


327 


sionally  met  with  from  a  very  high  northern  latitude,  to  the  borders  of 
the  torrid  zone^  but  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sea,  and  aWthe 
shores  and  cliffs  of  our  akes  and  large  rivers.    Formed  by  natufe  for 

l^i  L  f  ^  i  possessing  Po^^ers  of  flight  capable  of  outstripping 
even  the  tempests  themselves;  unawed  by  any  thin^  but  man -3 
from  the  ethereal  heights  to  which  he  sLr8,^look.n''g  al^d,  at  one' 

n„Hh°  w^'*'  Eagle  was  met  with  in  ihe  overland  arctic  expedition,  but,  towards  the 
north,  was  only  a  summer  visitant :  in  the  Fur  Counlries,  it  is  one  of  the  ra  licst 
n  rmn,^  m  the  month  of  March,  which  l,as  thence  received  the  iZoVmJ^S 
or  Lepens-him,  or  E!ig\e  month.  It  appears  also  migratory  every  where  t<rZ.' 
norlh ;  u  was  not  met  with  to  the  no'rlh  of  the  Great^Shu-^  Lak7im  G  "o  N  d- 
ihou-h  ,t  .s  common  m  the  summer  in  the  country  lyinL'  bclwet^  haland  1 'Vkl 
Superior,  and  its  breeding-places  in  the  district  are  numcrour  n  the  m  n  h  of 
Ocober,  when  the  rivers  arc  frozen  over,  it  entirely  quits  Hudson's  Jia  lands 
and  I  IS  only  on  the  sea  coasts  that  individuals  can  "be  then     et  With       ^  ' 

In  this  place  we  must  introduce  another  splendid  Fishin     EaHe    which    if  ulii 
matelyprovedtobean  undescribed  species    will  stan.l  as  the  ^Fj  [„,'  w" 
xngtomx  of  Audubon.  .It  has  been  first  beautifully  fi^.red  and  deTcrfbo     b      ha 
gentleman,  and  a  specimen  of  it  exists  in  the  Academy  of  Ph  ladclE       is  im 
wo'f "''"!;  ^"^Vr^  olher  differences,  seem  to  keep  if  distinct  fro7  any     pcc^ 
wc  are  acquainted  with,  and  it  is  most  probably  before  this  time  i.roved  to  be  ^ew 
VVe  strongl-y  suspect,  however,  that  the  state  in  which  it  is  fii^urec    s  not  t  nt  o  Te 
adult  pluma-e,  and  that  this  is  ynt  to  be  found  :  wc  can   only   wisi    tha    its  d  s 
coverer  mayle  successful  in  his  present  arduous  journey.    It  muT  be  ofvcly  rare 
occurrence,  three  or  four  being  all  that  Mr.  Audubon  L  ever  found  of  it  ^  We 
have  transcribed  the  more  essential  parts  of  his  description.     From  it  there  will 
be  seen  a  difference  in  their  habits  from  the  While-hendo^d  bird,  bnildin"  a  ml  roo' 
m-  on  rocks  ;  and  m  their  mode  of  fishing,  which  is  performecllikr  le'Os    ev 

It  was  m  February,  1814,  that  Mr.  Audubon  first  Lw  ih  iird  wl  He  o  Vlr-, 
dmg  voyage  on  the  Upper  Mississippi.  He  was  assured  that  it  wa  rar"  -and' 
from  he  accounts  he  received  being  convinced  that  it  was  unknown  to  naturaS' 
he  fell  anxious  to  learn  its  habits,  and  to  discover  in  what  particular"  ir  I  ffcreJ 
irl  .Tw^''"^^"'''-  '^'•^^•"'^o"  <M  not  again  me^et  with  it  for  some 
PrlXh  t  h"  "^''-  T'""^."'"'  P^"'-^  ^"iflt'nlal  :1,e  was  en-aged  in  co  lectin^ 
Crayfish  and  perceived,  on  the  steep  and  rocky  banks  of  the  (Shlo  the  marks  of 
the  •'reed-ng-place  of  some  bird  of  prey.  His-'inquiries  among  the  neoX  „  the 
neighborhood  led  him  (o  suppose  that  it  was  an  Eagle,  different  from  anT  of  hose 
known^in  America.     He  resolved  to  watch  tlie  ne.^  j'aiul  the  followhjl^  is  ,he  re! 

"In  high  expectation  I  sealed  myself  about  a  hundred  yards  froir  the  foot  of 

impatient  curiosity  for  my  hopes  whispered  it  was  a  Sea  Eagle's  nest  "TwoC.^ 
hours  had  elapsed  before  the  old  bird  made  his  appearance,  which  vva  ai ,  om  ""3 
to  us  by  the  loud  hissings  of  the  two  young  ones,  which  o  awled  to  the  ex  rZi'y 
of  the  hole  to  receive  a  fino  fish.  I  had  a  perfect  view  of  this  nolle  bin  -"he 
hold  himself  to  the  edging  rock,  hanging  like  the  Hnrn.  Hank,  or  .Cial  Mow 
his  tail  spread,  and  his  wings  partly  so.  f  trembled  lesi  a  wo  d  should  osTaponTy 
r,r,;?^nv"'?"r  Theshghtest  murmur  nad  been  treason  from  .hem.  ThA  emrr«i 
nto  my  feelings,_and,  though  little  interested,  joined  with  me.  In  a  trw  2mes 
the  other  parent  joined  her  male.  She  glanced  her  cn.icic  nnd  pirrcint  evo  Z md 
and  instantly  perceived  that  her  abode^ad  been  discovered.'  sT,^,^roppe  hi 
Ev"".  *  'r*'  f^T^'  communicated  the  alarm  to  the  male,  and  Jioveri^  Zh 
him  over  our  heads  kept  up  a  growling  cry."    It  w.  «  n„t  till   wo  -ears  nfler  that 

£  :i1Z  'akelf  ■ -1°°'  '"""""  '"  '•'""'  ""'^  '^«"'''  ■'  "-'  ^'-  '■""-■'"=-  '^''-' t 

the  base  of  the  under  mandible,  yellow  ;  cere,  vellowish  brown  ;  lor.,  lin'.i  Ireonish 

hlTd'  ul"^  ''T!  ^T"  '  '^i*"'  ''"^l'  yeilow;  claws,  bluish  black  ;  uppe?  paHof  he 
head,  hind  neck,  back  scapulars,  nimn.  tail-coverts  nnd  n.=t»,;;.r  'L;.!  r!,V.i.:_ 
blackisli  brown,  glossed  with  a  coppery  tint;  throai,  fore  neckTbreai^i;' andbdli); 


I    ,  ik 


1 


328 


WHITE-HEADED,  OR  BALD  EAGLE. 


glance,  on  an  immeasurablo  expanse  of  forests,  fields,  lakes,  and 
ocean,  deep  below  liiin,  he  appears  indiiferent  to  the  little  localities  of 
change  of  seasons  ;  as,  in  a  few  minutes,  he  can  pass  from  summer  to 
winter,  from  tlie  lowor  to  the  higlier  regions  of  the  atmosphere,  the 
abode  of  eternal  oold,  and  thence  descend,  nt  will,  to  the  tornd,  or  the 
arctic  regions  of  tiie  earth.  He  is,  therefore,  found,  at  all  seas^oiis,  in 
the  counfrics  ho  inhabits  :  but  prefers  such  places  as  have  bean  men- 
tioned above,  from  the  great  partiality  he  has  for  fish. 

In  procuring  the^e,  he  displays,  in  a  very  singular  manner,  the 
genius  and  energy  of  his  character,  which  is  fierce,  contemplative, 
daring,  nnd  tyrannical,  —  attributes  not  exerted  but  on  particular  occa- 
sioiis,'^but,  when  put  fortli,  overpowering  all  opposition.  Elevntcd  on 
the  high  dead  limb  of  some  gigantic  tree  tliat  commands  a  wide  view 
of  the'noigiiboring  shore  and  ocean,  he  seems  calmly  to  contemplate 
the  motions  of  the  various  feathered  tribes  that  pursue  their  busy  avo- 
cations below, — the  snow-wliite  Gulls  slowly  winnowing  the  air; 
the  busy  TmigfE  coursing  along  the  s  inds  ;  trains  of  Ducks  stream- 
ing over  tiie  surface  ;  silent  and  watchful  Cranes,  intent  and  wading ; 
clamorous  Crows  ;  and  all  the  winged  multitudes  tiiat  subsist  by  the 
bounty  of  this  vast  liquid  magazine  of  nature.  High  over  all  these 
hovers  one,  whose  action  instantly  arrests  his  whole  attention.  By  his 
wide  curvature  of  wing,  and  sudden  suspension  in  air,  he  know.- him 
to  be  the  Fish  Hawk,  ^settling  over  some  devoted  victim  of  the  deep. 
His  eye  kindles  at  the  sigiit,  and,  balancing  himself,  wi+h  half  opened 
wino-s,  on  the  brnncli,  lie  watches  the  result  Down,  rapid  as  an 
arrow  from  heaven,  descends  the  distant  object  of  ids  attention,  the 
roar  of  its  wings  reaching  the  ear  as  it  disappears  in  tiie  deep,  inalung 
the  surges  foam  around.  At  this  moment,  the  eager  looks  of  the 
Eagle  are  all  ardor;  and,  levelling  his  neck  for  flight,  he  sees  the 
Pish  Hawk  once  more  emerge,  struggling  with  his  prey,  and  mounting 
in  the  air  with  screams  of  exultation.  These  are  the  signal  for  our 
hero,  who,  launchinL"-  into  the  air,  instantly  gives  chase,  and  soon 
gains  on  the  Fish  Hawk  :  each  exerts  his  utmost  to  mount  above  the 
otht'r,  displaying  in  these  rencontres  the  most  elegant  and  sublime 
aerial  evolutions.  The  unencumbered  Eagle  rapidly  advances,  end  is 
just  on  the  point  of  reaching  his  opponent,  when,  with  a  sudden 
screrun,  probably  of  despair  and  honest  execration,  the  latter  drops 
his  fish  ;  the  Eagle,  poising  himself  for  a  moment,  as  if  to  take  a  more 
certain  aim,  descends  like  a  whirlwind,  snatches  it  in  his  grasp  ere  it 

liirht  l.ro\Miis'ii  yellow,  carli  fcallicr  marked  along  the  ccnlrc  with  blackish  brown  ; 
wing-fovcrts,  i'ifrht  gravisli  brown,  tliosc  next  tho  body  bccouiini,'  <iail.tr.  ami  ap- 
nroachin'r  ihc  color  oC'lhf  back  ;  primary  quills,  dark  brown,  deeper  on  t!i<  ir  umcr 
wobs;  se'condarics,  lislilcr,  and  on  their  outer  webs,  of  nearly  tlie  same  h^ht  tmt 
as  their  rovcrts  ;  tail,'  miilorm  dark  brown  ;  anterior  tibial  leathers,  (rrayisli  browu. 
'"  Lcn"-th,  three  feet  seven  inches  ;  extent  of  wniffs,  ten  loet  two  niches  ;  bi  I, 
three  anS  a  quarter  inches  along  the  back  ;  along  the  gap,  winch  coimiiences  di- 
rectly under  the  eye,  to  the  tip  of  the  lower  mandible,  three  and  one-third,  and  one 
and  three-quarters  deep  ;  length  of  wing  when  folded,  thirty-two  inches  ;  length 
of  tail,  fifteen  inches ;  tarsus,  four  and  a  half;  middle,  four  and  three  quarters; 

hinci  claw,  two  and  a  half  1,1       -i    j 

"  The  iw.,  stomachs,  large  and  baggy  ;  their  contents  m  tho  individual  clescnlied 
were  fish,  fishes'  scales,  aiid  entrails  of  various  kinds  mlestmes,  large,  but  thin 
and  transparent.  —Ed. 


lakes,  and 
localities  of 
n  summer  to 
losphere,  the 
torrid,  or  the 
1  seasous,  in 

been  inen- 

manner,  the 
mteniplative, 
ticiiliir  occa- 
Elcvatcd  on 
a  wide  view 
contemplate 
:^ir  busy  avo- 
np  the  air; 
uckrt  streain- 
and  wading ; 
ibaist  by  the 
ver  all  these 
tion.    By  his 
c  know.-;  him 
of  the  deep. 
I  half  opened 
rapid  as  an 
Lttcntion,  the 
lecp,  making 
looks  of  the 
,  ho  scey  the 
md  mounting 
ignal  for  our 
se,  and  fcoon 
int  above  the 
and  sublime 
■ancos,  ;nid  is 
ith  a  sudden 
;  latter  drops 
3  take  ii  more 
s  grasp  ere  it 

jliickisli  l)row:i ; 

larkcT.  mil!    ap- 

f,t  on  tlicir  iiiDor 

SililU!  liu'lil    (illt 

irra.yisli  iifdwu. 
m   iiu'li(;s  ;  bill, 

coimnciicos  fli- 
e-tliird,  iuid  one 

inrlics ;  length 
Ihrcc  quarters ; 

t'idual  described 
large,  but  thin 


WHITE-HEADED,  OR  J3ALD  EAGLE.  399 

reaches  the  water,  and  bears  his  ill-gotten  booty  silently  away  to  the 
anJllt' Fp/jf  H^^T  ^^*''*^''''  '^"'^  defensive  nmnoeuvres  of  the  Ea<r|p 

nous  sufferer,  in  opposition  to  the  at  Ss  ofomvor  ?n     T'^  ^^ 

pe^   ranrof^^e  ^^^^^^^^^  ^^^^  combined  S^e  and 

account.  ■       "  '^"''''•^'■"''  ^"  -^«^"n>"rate  with  the  present 

so  onra^nred  ,is  to  fly  down  at  tiie  Eaple,  whik- 1  ^^0    o^  .W T 
t1  o Xwk     tT       ?^  ^''"  ""'"'  ^-^^^"''^''^  t^«  »"'er  to  threaten  or  seize 
I.w,_.eHaw.^^ 
From  the  .amy.,el]i.cnt  and  obliging  inend,  Ilately  received  a 


390 


WHITE-HEADED,  OR  BA1,D  EAGLE. 


I 


well  preserved  skin  of  the  Bald  Eagle,  which,  from  its  opp.  ftrance, 
and  the  note  that  accompanied  it,  seems  to  have  belonged  o  a  veij 
formidable  individual.  " It  was  shoV  says  Mr.  Gardiner,  "last  win- 
ter  on  this  island,  and  weighed  thirteen  pounds  ;  measured  three  feet 
in  iencnh,  and  seven  from  tip  to  tip  of  the  expanded  wings  ;  was  ex- 
t^emely  force  looking;  though  wounded  vvould  turn  his  back  to  no 
one  iLtenedhis  claws  into  the  head  of  a  dog,  and  was  with  dilh- 
cult;  disengaged.  I  have  ridden  on  horseback  within  five  or  six  rods 
ofoLwhoTbvhis  bold  demeanor,  raismg  his  featliers,&c.  seemed 
wilUng  to  d  spute  the  ground  with  its  owner.  The  crop  of  the  present 
was  full  of  mutton,  fro^m  my  part  blood  Merinos  !  and  his  >ntesUnes 
contiiined  feathers,  which  he  probably  devoured  with  a  Duck,  or  Win- 
ter Gull,  as  I  observed  an  entire  loot  and  leg  of  some  water  towl.  i 
had  two  killed  previous  to  this,  which  weighed  ten  pounds  avoirdupois 

*^The  intrepidity  of  character,  mentioned  above,  may  be  further 
illustrated  by  the  following  fact,  which  occurred  a  few  years  ago, 
jiear  Great  Egg  Harbor,  New  Jersey :-  A  woman,  who  happened  to 
be  weeding  in  the  garden,  had  set  her  child  down  near  to  amuse 
itself  while  she  was  at  work;  when  a  sudden  and  extraordinary 
rushing  sound,  and  a  scream  fron>  her  child,  alarmed  her,  and,  starting 
up,  she  beheld  the  infimt  thrown  down,  and  dragged  some  few  feet, 
and  a  large  Bald  Eagle  bearing  ofi"  a  fragment  of  its  frock,  which 
being  the  only  part  seized,  and  giving  way,  providentially  saved  the 

life  of  tlie  infant  ,    ,   ,  .  ■,  ^    ^        £•   ^- 

The  appetite  of  the  Bald  Eagle,  though  habituated  to  long  fasting, 
is  of  the  most  voracious,  and  often  the  most  indelicate  kind.  Fish, 
when  he  can  obtain  then.,  are  preferred  to  all  other  fare.  Young 
lambs  and  pigs  are  dainty  morsels,  and  made  free  witn  on  all  favorable 
occasions.  Ducks,  Geese,  Gulls,  and  other  sea  fowl,  are  also  seized 
with  avidity.  The  most  putrid  carrion,  when  nothing  better  can  be 
had,  is  acceptable ;  and  the  collected  groups  of  gormandizing  Vul- 
tures, on  the  approach  of  this  dignified  personage,  instant  y  disperse, 
and  niake  way  for  their  master,  waiting  his  departure  in  sullen  silen'-e, 
and  at  a  respectful  distance,  on  the  adjacent  trees. 

In  one  of  tlxvsc  partial  migrations  of  tree  squirrels  that  sometimes 

take  place  in  our  western  fore,,ts,  many  thousands  of  them  were 

drowned  in  attempting  to  cross  the  Ohio  :   and  at  a  certain  place,  not 

far  from  Wheeling,  a  prodigious  iminber  of  their  dead  bodies  were 

floated  to  the  shore  bv  an  eddy.    Here  the  Vultures  assembled  in 

ereat  force,  and  had  regaled  themselves  for  some  time,  when  a  Bald 

Eagle  made  his  appearance,  and  took  sole  possession  of  the  premises, 

keeuinff  the  whole  Vultures  at  their  proper  distance  for  several  days. 

He  has  also  been  seen  navigating  the  same  river  on  a  floating  carrion, 

though  scarcely  raised  above  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  tugging  at 

the  carcass,  regardless  of  snags,  sawyers,  planters,  o^  shallows     He 

sometimes  caiTies  bis  tyranny  to  gi-eat  extremes  agaiuGt  the  Vultures 

In  hard  times,  when  food  happens  to  be  scarce,  should  he  accidentally 

meet  with  one  of  these  who  has  its  craw  crammed  with  carrion,  he 

attacks  it  fiercely  in  the  air ;  the  cowardly  Vulture  '^f  ntjydisgorges^ 

and  the  delicious  contents  are  snatched  up  by  the  Eagle  before  they 

reach  the  ground. 


WHITE-HEADED,  OR   BALD  EAGLE.  331 

both  male  and  Sale  LvrLln  nhoTfr  ""f. '"""'  "^y^^"'  When 
Hoon  after  taken  posiss'on.  The  5^  t  Ts  i^.l"? '.'^"«ti«/ P'^i'  ha3 
repaired  every  season,  until  it  h^nL  ^'^f.f'  ^emg  added  to  and 
observable  at  a  considerSe  distanre  T^  ^•^''''  r™i»ent  mass, 
sods,  earthy  mbbish,  hay  moss  £  M  'k  ^°™''''  "'  ^^^^^  ^^^J" 
female  lays  first  a  H^'eTarS  th..t  „T  ^^.'^"^^'^  to  me  that  the 
time,  shelayn  another  ;whfn  The  Sstis  Wh''/".!  '"'  ""  ^^  ^^-^  ««">« 
It  Ks  pretende,!,  hatches  the  other!  Whether  S  bif  r™*?  '^  *^^V 
cannot  detennine  •    Imf  ..  „^  »emer  uns  be  correct  or  not  1 

-Hured  me,  tiat  he  saw  a  lar^TtreHS?'^  ^'"*'''"'^"  °^"  Virginia 
a  Bald  Eagle,  in  whicl  wpIp  fl ,?       *  ^l"^^"'  "Containing  the  nest  of 

three  timefa^  large  as  the  oth^r  Ts"f  ^  ^  ^l^'t '^^''^''^  ^^^^ly 
tlieir  young,  a  perso^nSr  Norfolk  inf  ^^^f  ''^  ^l^''"  attachment  tb 
piece  of  wood  on  his  p]  ce  thev  It  h '"\  "'*''  *^^ '"  <^'^'^"n?  » 
which  was  a  Bald  L^S  nest  and  vn!,'^' '"  fe'  ''''^'*  P*"«  ^ree.^on 
more  than  half  way  uS  n„S  fL  m  ^  "^•-  J^""  ^'""^  ^^'''S  on  fire 
Eagle  darted  arouYd  aS'd  4l''/t5  Ta^Ts^'J^r^'""-'  '''  P'^^^"* 
much  mjured  that  it  was  with  "".li ffi^nlM  ^  ""^'7,^'"  Plumage  was  so 
and  even  then  she  Jvpr-.T  I  •''^^ulty  she  could  make  her  escape, 
offspring.         '      '  ^'^''''  ^™^^  attempted  to  return  to  relieve  hi; 

EagllXh^'til^a^iS^^^^^^^  ?-  ^«  Bald 

times  lie  scattered  round  thptrl!^  i    ""'"^f^^  so  that  they  some- 
be  distinguishS  at Te  disnnfe  of  o    ^''i  1'''''/  T'"  ""^''^^  "««t  may 

coverts,  and  LT;tLety  the  eXTr".  °".^'^  head, 'neck,  tSl- 
white,  or  very  .liXw  Jfn^^d  w^  c^'  ^'"': ''  ^^""'^  ^'^  completely 
bazel,  but  MxaduHiIv  ing'  ?ns  into  n  hJIlT'  ?^"^'  "''°  ''*  "^^  «"' 
white  piu..mf-  of  the  hfad  %  ,Ph  .t  f  "f"^  '*P'^  ^"l""-'  ^^'th  the 
of  tins  char,  .,  >,=^rossed  bV  ^Jself  L  ''*  '"'I  *"  ^''^'^"^1  P^o^^^ss 
'»P  by  a  gem.ni»7rfvipL'T'"\'''''"y^'^e  specimen  brought 
bilioj-ed  it^to  b  n 'rat  is  Siv  cZI'..^'^^'  ^''^  -«n«iderable  time 
surprised  at  the  gm  iL  nSnoSs  s     T^^^ 

the  ardorSlS^/oSisthfitT^'s  S"  ''T  T^''^'^^*'-  ^"^ 
times  the  human  %e  can   jusr£Lh     ""n '"^'^^^^^^^^       '^«'"«- 

moving  in  slow  curvatores^dC  tire  S  '  """"'".  'P'^"^' 

noitr  nff  the  earth  it  thnf  Z^         f      °^  *"^'  heavens,  as  rf  recon- 

alonginadireSoLiVirrTatSr  bf°"l'""^  ^^  ^""^^« 
unmoving  Winers  till  h.  "oT«H„on  *^1.*^  ^^''t  beight,  with  expanded  and 

Seen  gliding  if eayciSsoltff  ^v       V^'  distant  blue  ether. 
cm  Slat  tower  ZLTJuJ:^!  f^.  ^X^^  ^^ores  and  mountainous 

....dooix  anu  ousquehaniia,  he  attracts  the 


U:i 


m 


I 


332 


WHITE-HEADED,   OR  BALD  EAGLE. 


eye  of  tlie  intelligent  voyager,  and  adda  great  interest  to  the  >«encry. 
At  the  great  Cataract  of  Niagara,  already  mentioned,  tliere  rises  from 
the  gulf  into  which  tlie  Fall  of  the  llorse-Shoe  descends,  a  stupendous 
column  of  smoke,  or  spray,  reaching  to  the  heavens,  and  moving  off  in 
largo,  black  clouds,  according  to  the  direction  of  the  wind,  forming  a 
very  striking  and  majestic  appearance.  The  Eagles  are  here  seen 
sailing  about,  sometimes  losing  themselves  in  this  tliick  column,  and 
again  reappearing  in  another  place,  wi*h  such  ease  and  elegance  of 
motion,  as  renders  the  whole  truly  sublhne. 

High  o'er  the  wiitery  uproar,  silent  seen, 
Safling  sedate  in  majesty  serene. 
Now  niiflst  the  pillared  spray  sublimely  lost, 
And  now,  emerging,  down  tne  Rapids  tossed, 
Glides  the  IJald  Eagle,  gazing,  calm  and  slow, 
O'er  all  the  horrors  of  the  scene  hclow ; 
Intent  alone  to  sate  himself  with  blood. 
From  the  torn  victims  of  the  raging  flood. 

The  White-headed  Eagle  is  three  feet  long,  and  seven  feet  in 
extent ;  the  bill  is  of  a  rich  yellow ;  cere,  the  same,  slightly  tinged 
with  green ;  mouth,  flesh-colored  ;  tip  of  the  tongue,  bluish  black ; 
the  head,  chief  part  of  tlio  neck,  vent,  tail-coverts,  and  tail,  are  white 
in  the  perfect,  or  old  birds  of  both  sexes,  —  in  those  under  three  years 
of  age  these  parts  are  of  a  gray  brown ;  the  rest  of  the  plumage  is 
deep  dark  brown,  each  feather  tipped  with  ])ale  brown,  lightest  on  the 
shoulder  of  the  wing,  and  darkest  towards  its  extremities.  The  con- 
formation of  the  wing  is  admirably  adapted  for  the  support  of  so  large 
a  bird  ;  it  measures  two  feet  in  breadth  on  the  greater  quills,  and  six- 
teen inches  on  the  lesser ;  the  longest  pritnaries  are  twenty  inches  in 
length,  and  upwards  of  one  inch  in  circumference  where  tliey  enter 
the  skin ;  the  broadest  secondaries  are  three  inches  in  breadth  across 
the  vane ;  the  scapulars  arc  very  large  and  broad,  spreading  from  tlie 
back  to  the  wing,  to  pr  jvent  the  air  from  passing  through ;  another 
range  of  broad  flat  feathers,  from  three  to  fen  inches  in  lengtli,  also 
extends  from  the  lower  part  of  the  breast  to  tlie  wing  below,  for  the 
aame  purpose  ;  between  tlif.  o  lies  a  deep  triangular  cavity ;  the  thig-hs 
are  remarkably  tliick,  strong,  and  inusiulnr, covered  with  long  feathers 
pointing  back-wmrds,  usually  called  the  femoral  feathers;  the  legs, 
whicii  are  covered  half  way  below  the  knee,  before,  with  dark  brown 
downy  feathers,  are  of  a  rich  yellow,  the  color  of  ripe  Indian  corn ; 
feet,  th^•  same  ;  claws,  blue  blac  k,  very  large  and  strong,  particularly 
the  innt'r  one,  which  i»  considerably  the  largest ;  soles,  very  rough 
and  warty  :  the  eye  is  sunk  under  a  l)ony,  or  cartilaginous  projection, 
of  a  pale  yellow  color,  and  is  turned  considerably  forwards,  not 
standing  parallel  witli  tke  cheeks  ;  the  ms  is  of  a  bright  straw  color, 
pupil  black. 

The  male  is  generally  ~wo  or  tliree  inches  shorter  than  the  female  ; 
the  white  on  the  head,  neclc,  luxd  tail  being  more  tinged  with  yel- 
lowish, and  its  wJioi*'  appearance  iesn  fc^rmidahle  ;  the  orown  plumage 
is  also  liffhter,  and  rhe  bird  itself  le»r,  oaring  ti«n  the  female,  —  a 
circumstance  common  to  almwt  ail  birds  oif  prey. 

The  bird  from  which  thm  ''escripiion,  and  Fig.  15*,  were  taken,  was 


WHiTC-HKAnnn,  or  ,uu>  eagle.  333 

without  tooth)  1  r  ,0  nmS    f      ^^  •("'  ^'"'^  ^"•''  ^«  i-ivenous  and 
«li«soIvoboSrlttf  p^s      o  thi  V"'"'^^*'^^*'''''  ^n^nts  are  .suffered  to 
membranous.     I    il/no      ecelo   r'')  °'',  TP'"'  '^*"'™^'''  "'"•^'^  '« 
whether  any  chiliion  was  effect ,  u'\l""^  •'"°".^''  ^"  "'^'^^rtain 
of  tliis  onlamement  of'rho  m^.nl.f„^        f^,  .^^«  •'"'^^es  from  the  vessels 
has  a  re^nn-^ltath  r   or  vom  ti       -!'     ^  ^'""^'t  probable,  that  it  also 
lows  larPre  qu an  .ties  of  in    Le^r  h  ^  '[^  f  ^^'^  ^"'^  constantly  svval- 
&c.    In  this  sac  of  the  V  l^n  r  ^     substances,  such  as  quills,  hai,^, 
White  Gul  ;  and!  d.o  til      T"  /''"  q'-i'l-f^athers  of  the  smal 
feathers  of  the  same  binr.u?";i''''  ?"  *f' '  ""''  ^«'"«  "^  ^he  breast- 
This  excited  some  ^.rti'e        ti  ll  7'    ''''•^''™  °^"  "^  ''^'■^«  "^J^- 
fact  of  its  watchincr  Z^Fisll  I    wL^    n       n'"*"  "?1"^'nt«^''  "'ith  the 
Thus  we  see,  thron",iout    t  w  ^  l'^' ^ '  'liro'o  "^  ^^  "^/''-'-  P-y* 
almost  a  ways  in  a  state  of  hn«t;iifrf    •'^.  ,        "^^''  Po"''^'"  '^ 

can  it  truly  be  ."id  t    ?  iJr^?  ^  to  justice  ;  and  of  the  Deity  only 
"  The  KrrlP  l^n  'f       -^       T  '   *;?."™ensurate  with  power !  ^ 

in  common  tvith  man"  Tre"  ^  w!:"" '"  '"l?^^',""  ""''  -^i-^ilation 

respiring  animkl,)  separates  or  remove      i  k  '  ^'-^  '*  '^  '^  ^^^P'^ 

from  the  blood.    kvXZ,Zr.T     JT  "''"«-^'°»«  principles 
viscus  in  the  human  Lbi^ct      Tho      ^  J'  '''^•"'''  "''  ^^'«  important 

t^  c™t  ,^  .^';- -^  ti9''  ■-'=  ^^™- 

no  more  ecrcrs  are  winter    tlmn      «  ''  ''''^°"'  <^"u«equeiitly, 

i-ii-i.u  j..ar3.     ihi3  Circumstance  lu  remarkable, 


334 


FISH   HAWK,  OR  OSPREY. 


when  we  consido  r  the  aeeming  intrmperato  habits  of  thu  bird  Some- 
times  fasting,  through  noceesit-  for  several  days,  and  at  other  timcH 
fforein  '  itself  with  animal  fooil  all  it  craw  swells  out  the  phima<ro  of 
Siat  part,  forming  a  huge  prof.  )erau  '  on  the  breast  This,  however, 
is  its  natural  food,  and  for  these  hab,  its  whole  organization  is  jmr- 
ticularly  adapted.  It  has  not,  like  men,  invented  rich  wines,  ardent 
soirits,  and  a  thousami  artificial  poisuiin,  in  the  form  of  soups,  sauces, 
and  sweetmeats.  Its  food  is  simple,  it  indulges  freely,  uses  groat  ex- 
ercise, breathes  the  purest  au,  in  liealthy.  vigorous,  and  long  lived. 
The  lords  of  the  crc  atioii  themselves  might  derive  som  •  useful  hints 
from  those  facts,  were  they  not  already,  in  general,  too  wise,  or  too 
proud,  tu  learn  from  their  inferiors,  the  fowls  of  the  air  and  beasts  ol 
the  field. 


FISH   HAWK,  OR  OSPREY,  -  FALCO  HALI/KTUS. -Fic.  1.58. 

Carolina  Osorev,  Lath.  Sm.  i.  p.  ■«).  — iC.  a.— t'aloo  piscaK.r.  Briss  i.  p.  361 
14  3Gi  if-  Faucon  piheu[  de  la  Caroline.  Huff.  i.  p.  142.      F.sh.ng  tlawlr 
r.  i.  p.  3.  —  Tint.  Svst.  i.  14!).  —  PeaWx      met         .o.  144. 


Catesby,  Car.  i.  p. 

PjiJVDIOJV  IMLI^F.rUS.  —  BhVH  >v.* 

47.  -Balbusnrdus  hali«>ii.s,  Flcm.  Br.  Avim  1..  5  '^'^'fy'.^''^'" ^fj.]^': 
Selbii,  must.  Br.  Orvith.  i.  p.  12.  pi.  4.-Falco  hul.Kl  (sub-gen.  Pandion,) 
lioniv.  Sm«7M>'^>--'l'l'o  Fish  riawk.or  Ofprrv.  .W.  ,. .  81,.nale;  Oru 
Biog.  i.  4'l.'i.—  Nii'iila  (Pavilion)  !iali»ta,  ^orlll.  /mi<L  ii.  p.  iU. 

This  formidable,  vigorous-winged,  and  well-known  bird,  subsists 
altogether  on  the  finny  tribes  that  swarm  in  our  bays,  creeks,  and 
rivers;  procuring  his  prey  by  his  own  active  skill  and  industry ;  and 

-  This  i.  Iho  ivpe  of  an(,ll.cr  aquatic  prnup.  ami  a  real  nsher.  It  does  not  like 
the  Wl.ile-Header\  Ea?lo.  though  fond  offish,  subs.st  only  upon  ' '«  pl  mder  o  ol  - 
er.s,but  labors  for  itself  in  the  n.osl  dexterous  manner;  and  for  lh,s  the  beau  Hi 
adaptation  of  its  forn>  renders  every  assistance.  The  body  .s  very  s'["ng"y  '"  I; 
but^s  rather  of  a  narrow  and  elongated  shape ;  the  head  is  less  than  ihe  orduarj 
prop ortfona  .iimcnsious ;  and  the  ^^1n^s  arc  expansive,  powerful  and  sbarp-pomted 
¥11!-  manner  of  seizing  thoiv  prev  is  by  soaring  above  the  surface  of  the  sea,  or 
lake,  and,  when  in  .igfi  ot  a  (Tsh.-closi.lg  the  wings,  and  da''/';-^/;  1™;  J-V  J^ 
wei<rht  of  the  body,  which,  in  the  <lescenl,  may  be  perceived  to  be  directed  bv  tic 
mot'ion  of  the  tail.  For.this  purpose,  those  parts  which  we  have  mentioned  are  finely 
?S  and  for  he  lemaiiHler  of  the  operation,  the  legs  and  feel  arc  no  les.s  bean- 
s' modelle.l.  The  thighs,  instead  of  being  clotiled  with  finely  lengthened 
piumesTsIr^  n  ost  of  the  other' Falcons,  and  which,  when  wet,  would  prove  a  grea 
enZnbrance,  are  covere.l  with  a  thick  downy  plumage ;  the  tars.  arc_  short  and 
very  trong;  he  toes  have  the  same  advantages  ;  and  underneath,  at  the  junction  ot 
each  oint  have  a  large  protuberance,  covered,  as  are  the  other  paHs  of  the  .sole. 
Nv^lh  a  1  ck  an.!  stron"'  array  of  hard  jagged  scales,  which  are  sufficient  bv  the 
ofglms  ...,"' vent  aTiy  escilpe  of  theirili^ery  prey  when  it  .s  once  C-rH-^ J"-  ;;i' 
the  claws  are  also  verv  strong,  and  hooked,  and  are  round  as  a  cyhndct,  both 

above  aii.l  beneath,  which  will  ensure  an  ea,y  Pi^^-'^S'^ ''"''^To?f  hl^ed 
body  at  which  they  may  be  struck.  The  outer  toe  is  al.so  capable  of  being  turned 
eilher  way  -a  most  essential  assistance  in  graspirg.  n  striking  heir  prey  they 
do  noi  •pH---  '-  dive  d.-v  p ;  indeed,  their  feet,  by  which  alone  it  is  taken,  could 


PISH  HA 


or?  ospREY. 


335 


nJN>w'rl         .'"  ""^"•"ton,  am  Vinson  the  coant    of  New  Vork 

^rns  .„,  vary  th.;:f  yS^.^LSK  ^'d.j^ll^J  :K^^^^ 
e   e"5,:  u^^'''  :J;!^  '^-'--'-/  ^'-t  they  ar. 'ifj  r^vij/je^i' 

frozpn   .  wl     V       ■'       *^-'  '  M*''T  «"""  ^imes  find  the  bavH  and  ponds 
YMh.Tl  ^"xpVfe'xe  a  difficulty  in  proc.rinjr  (i.h  lor  nunvrvs 

of  fli.hi^'^'iv^ifL^'S"' ;  'nil'  ";;'r';;i,Si":So  '7"^"^  ^^r^^'^ 
he^SdSr-  ""^     ■  -!- --  tr^r'thVwato  wi;^';„" 

from  thoirl  aunts  fmf  "''  {"-''•fV^^™'"^^'.  "'  'IHvinfr  them 

the  fishermen  L  tho  i  .n        •  *■  u      '^  '"  *''"■'"-'  "^  welcomed  by 

of  herS  shad  to  '/  """?^  ?*  ^^^^  .'^PP'-o'^ch  of  those  vast  shoalk 
or  nernng,  shad,  &c.,  that  regularly  arrive  on  our  coasts,  uid  enter 

^d'lji;;^  5f ':le!:;^.r""''  '"^'  '"•'^-  "-  °"-  — >-• '«  "-  sp,ay  occaslon. 

ceSthdr  1;:  S 'Ir  tLi 'S  inJ^iCmnr'^  t,:/''^"  «''="^  "'"^  -""""»«^''  ««■ 

Mr.  Aadutv  has  fi^urcl  I  noHmn,.  w"!. '^  "  '"'"  '"?'"  """"  *"'  "  P"""''«.  ^nd 
while  our  au,  ,r  memio,  1,T.  Z  w^  '  '"^  T^ ■'"''  "'"""  '^  "'»'  ^'-''g>"5 
pounds.     These  amhcmca  .,  T     1'  f"";"-'  "'■''"'"'  '^■''•'^'"'^'  '""^^  'ha-' six 

storie.,  of  thai  aiml^i^'  .^ol;;',,;        .      J'^t:;;','""'^' '°  "«'"  '''«  ■"''^''  "'arvcllou. 

all  ia^ain;  and.  a,W  stnpi:(J^j:S„::;:^^  X\:,er'^"''  "'^  '^'°"^'  '^"' 

ad^r^,!'^'^;;:^   i;;;:i^;!,^r  ^;:f "':  '--'f .--,  which  we  „ow 

Holland  in  uu  vvky  J' .fcre  Ti  Jn  i^  r" '' ^'"'  ^  P"^^'"''*  "ne  from  New 
to  Montagu.,  is  /r  M  P  on  if  ri  W  ^"f'""'  r'«fi''r"-^'  *>"'-  a«'^«'r''inff 
may  be  found  ;  '  m4t  of  tlu  Hil  /h,  TT  ''^^^  In  Scoiland,  a  pair  or  two 
breeding  sea.        ,uiid  on  .he  rL.d  ".  wp  I  "      '  "'"''''  "'^^  '''*''• ''"'''.  <l'"ri"ff  the 

rocs  of  these  ..Id  ^-:^^'''^li7^z:z:z-:!^^:^ij:!,i-^ 

Itself  n  tnirdi'M  for  the  tnllost  tree 

sen,  but  ruins  are  always  prefer  edfmnr     T^n    l         1?^^ '°"  *''''^««  ^ 
returning  to  an  old  statiol,  w'lth  l^hl^^e  of  Africa    mid  ^y,?,'-*:  T,'  T ^^'^^''^  ""^ 
found,  and  brough  to  the  ancient  ahnHr.      r  ^T  i  ^^"°''  '  •"»'«  '«  soon 

Castle,  and  Loci  Menteith."K  C^ng'btdirnlL'c^:!  ,t^'  '^'^  ^'"''•"" 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAiN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MSSO 

(716)  872-4503 


4v) 


336 


FISH   HAWK,  dk  OSPREY. 


our  rivers  in  such  prodigious  multitudes.  Two  of  a  trade,  it  is  said, 
seldom  agree  ;  tlie  adage,  however,  will  not  hold  good  in  the  present 
case,  for  such  is  the  respect  }iaid  the  Fish  Hawk,  not  only  by  this 
class  of  men,  but,  ^rcnerally,  by  the  whole  neighborhood  where  it  re- 
sided, that  a  person  who  should  attempt  to  shoot  one  of  them,  would 
stand  a  fair  chance  of  being  insulted.  This  prepossession  in  tavor  ot 
the  Fish  Hawk  is  honorable  to  their  feelings.  They  associate,  with 
its  first  appearance,  ideas  of  plenty,  and  all  the  gaiety  of  business ; 
they  see  it  active  and  industrious  like  themselves ;  inoffensive  to  the 
productions  of  their  farms ;  building  with  confidence,  and  without  the 
least  disposition  to  concealment,  in  the  middle  of  their  fields,  and 
along  their  fences ;  and  returning,  year  aflcr  year,  regularly  to  its  for- 
mer aboae.  .,         ,  ,.     j    j 

The  nest  of  the  Fish  Hawk  is  usually  bnilt  on  the  top  of  a  dead  or 
djcaying  tree,  sometimes  not  more  than  fifteen,  often  upwards  of  fifty 
feet,  from  the  ground.    It  has  been  remarked  by  the  people  of  the  sea- 
coasti,  tliat  the  most  thriving  tree  will  die  in  a  few  years  after  being 
taken  possession  of  by  the  Fish  Hawk.     This  is  attributed  to  the  hsh 
oil,  and  to  the  excrements  of  the  bird ;  but  is  more  probably  occasion- 
ed by  the  large  heap  of  wet  salt  materials  of  which  the  nest  is  usually 
composed.     In  my  late  excursions  to  the  sea  shore,  I  ascended  to  sev- 
eral of  these  nests  that  had  been  built  in  from  year  to  year,  and  found 
them  constructed  as  follows:  Externally,  large  sticks,  from  half  an 
inch  to  an  inch  and  a  iialf  in  diameter,  and  two  or  three  feet  in  length, 
piled  to  the  height  of  four  or  five  feet,  and  from  two  to  three  feet  m 
breadth;  these  were  intermixed  with  corn-stalks,  sea-weed,  pieces  ot 
wet  turf,  in  large  quantities,  mullein-stalks,  and  lined  with  dry  sea- 
grass  ;  the  whole  forming  a  mass  very  observable  at  half  a  mile  s  dis- 
tance, and  large  enough  to  fill  a  cart,  and  be  no  inconsiderable  load 
for  a  horse.    These  materials  are  so  well  put  together,  as  often  to 
adhere,  in  large  fragments,  after  being  blown  down  by  the  wind.    My 
learned  and  obliging  correspondent  of  New  York,  Dr.  Samuel  L. 
Mitchill,  observes,  that  "  A  sort  of  superstition  is  entertained  in  regard 
to  the  Fish  Hawk.    It  has  been  considered  a  fortunate  incident  to 
have  a  nest,  and  a  pair  of  these  birds,  on  one's  farm.    They  have, 
therefore,  been  generally  respected ;  and  neither  the  axe  nor  the  gun 
has  been  lifted  against  them.    Their  nest  continues  from  year  to  year. 
The  same  couple,  or  another,  as  the  case  may  be,  occupies  it,  season 
after  season.    Repairs  are  duly  made,  or,  when  demolished  by  storms, 
it  is  industriously  rebuilt.    There  was  one  of  these  nests,  formerly, 
upon  the  leafless  summit  of  a  venerable  chestnut-tree  on  our  larm, 
directly  in  front  of  the  house,  at  the  distance  of  less  tlian  halt  a  mile. 
The  withered  trunk  and  boughs,  surmounted  by  the  coarse  wrought 
and  capacious  nest,  was  a  more  picturesque  object  than  an  obelii«k : 
and  the  flights  of  the  Hawks,  as  they  went  forth  to  hunt— returned 
with  tlioir  game  —  exercised  themselves  in  wlieeling  round  and  round, 
and  circlino-  about  it  — were  amusing  to  the  beholder,  almost  from 
morning  to  night.    The  family  nf  these  Hawks,  old  and  young,  was 
killed  by  the  Hessian  Jagers.     A  succeeding  pair  took  possession  of 
the  nest ;  but,  in  tlie  cnurse  of  time,  the  prongs  of  the  trunk  so  rotted 
away,  that  tlie  nest  could  no  longer  bo  'upported.     The  Hawks  have 
been  obliged  to  seek  new  quarters.    We  have  lost  this  part  of  our 


FISH  HAWK,  OR  OSPREY. 


837 


prospect ;  and  our  trees  have  not  afforded  a  convenient  site  for  one  of 
their  liabitations  since." 

About  the  first  of  May,  the  female  Fish  Hawk  begins  to  lay  her 
eg-gs,  which  are  commonly  three  in  number,  sometimes  only  two,  and 
rarely  four.  They  are  somewhat  larger  than  those  of  the  common  Hen, 
and  nearly  of  the  same  shape.  The  ground  color  varies,  in  different 
eggs,  from  a  reddish  cream,  to  nearly  a  white,  splashed  and  daubed 
all  over  with  dark  Spanish  brown,  as  if  done  by  art*  During  the  timo 
the  fL'male  is  sitting,  the  male  frequently  supplies  her  with  fish ;  thon-rh 
slie  occasionally  takes  a  short  circuit  to  sea  herself,  but  quickly  returns 
aiifiin.  The  attention  of  the  male,  on  such  occasions,  is  regulated  by 
the  circumstances  of  the  case.  A  pair  of  these  birds,  on  the  south 
Skifi  of  Great  Egg  Harbor  River,  and  near  its  mouth,  was  noted  tor 
several  years.  The  female,  liaving  but  one  leg,  was  regularly  fur- 
nished, while  sitting,  with  fish  in  such  abundance,  that  she  seldom  left 
the  nest,  and  never  to  seek  for  food.  This  kindness  was  continued 
both  before  and  after  incubation.  Some  animals,  who  claim  the  name 
and  rationality  of  man,  might  blush  at  the  recital  of  this  fact. 

On  the  appearance  of  the  young,  which  is  usually  about  the  last  of 
June,  the  zeal  and  watchfulness  of  the  parents  are  extreme.    They 
stand  guard,  and  go  oflT  to  fish,  alternately;  one  parent  being  always 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  nost.     On  the  near  approach  of  any 
person,  the  Hawk  utters  a  plaintive  whistling  note,  which  becomes 
shriller  us  she  takes  to  wing,  and  sails  around,  sometimes  makintr  a 
rapid  descent,  as  if  aiming  directly  for  you ;  but  checking  her  cour°se 
and  sweeping  past,  at  a  short  distance  over  head,  her  win<rs  makina  a 
loud  whizzmg  in  the  air.    My  worthy  friend  Mr.  Gardiner  informs  me 
that  thoy  have  even  been  known  to  fix  their  claws  in  a  negro's  head' 
who  was  attempting  to  climb  to  their  nest;  and  1  had  lately  a  proof' 
of  their  daring  spirit  in  this  way,  through  the  kindness  of  a  friend 
resident,  for  a  few  weeks,  at  Great  Egg  Harbor.     I  had  requested  of 
him  the  favor  to  transmit  me,  if  po.-'sible,  a  live  Fish  Hawk,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  a  drawinir  of  it,  which  commission  he  very  faith- 
fully executed;  and  I  think  T  cannot  better  ilhi.strate  this  part  of  the 
bird's  character,  than  by  quoting  his  letter  at  large: 

"  Beaslei/s,  Great  Ep^g  Harbor,  SOth  June,  181  J. 

«  Sir,  —  Mr.  Beasley  and  I  went  to  reconnoitre  a  Fish  Hawk's  nest 

on  Thursday  afternoon.    When  I  was  at  the  nest,  I  was  struck  with 

so  great  violence  on  the  crown  of  the  hat,  that  I  thought  a  hole  was 

made  in  it    I  had  ascended  fearlessly,  and  never  dreamt  of  being 

.  *  P*" ;'!?  P?'alablencss  of  (hesc  e-gs  1  cannot  -^pcak  from  personal  experience ; 
but  the  follo\yinor  incident  will  show  (hat  the  experiment  has  actually  been  made  •  — 
A  country  fellow,  near  Cape  May,  on  his  way  to  n  neighboring  tavern,  passing  a 
tree,  on  which  was  a  Fish  Hawk's  nest,  immecllatcly  mounted,  and  robbed  it  of  the 
only  esfr  u  contained,  which  he  carried  with  him  to  the  tavern,  and  desired  the 
landlord  to  make  it  into  e^g-nogs.  The  tavern  keeper,  after  a  few  wry  faces,  com- 
plied with  his  request,  anci  the  fellow  swallowed  the  cordial.  Whether  from  its  ef- 
fects on  the  olfactory  nerves,  (for  he  said  it  smelt  abominably,)  on  the  imao'ination 
or  on  the  stomach  alone,  is  uncertain,  but  it  operated  as  a  most  outrageous  emetic' 
and  cured  the  man,  for  that  time  at  least,  of  his  thirst  for  egg-nogg.  What  is  rather 
extraordinary,  the  landlord  (Mr.  Beasley)  assured  me,  that,  to  all  appearance  the 
egg  was  perfecllv  fresh.  "^  ' 

29 


/" 

Hi'  ' 

^1/' 
}■■■ 

■  'i  ■   ! 
;i. 

1 

II!; 
iii 

1 
i 

338 


FISH  HAWK,  OR  ospnr; 


attacked.  I  came  down  qiiickly.  There  were  in  t  e  nest  three  young 
ones,  about  the  size  of  Puilets,  which  though  full  feaihered,  were  unable 
to  fly.  On  Friday  morning,  I  went  again  to  the  nest  to  get  n  young  one, 
which  I  thought!  could  nurse  to  a  considerable  growth,  sufficient  to 
answer  your  purpose,  if  I  should  fail  to  procure  an  old  one,  which 
was  represented  to  me  as  almost  impossible,  on  account  of  his  shy- 
ness, and  the  danger  from  his  dreadful  claws.  On  taking  a  young 
one,  I  intended  to  lay  a  couple  of  snares  in  the  nest,  for  which  purpose 
I  had  a  strong  cord  in  my  pocket.  The  old  birds  were  on  the  tree 
when  Captain  H.  and  I  approached  it  As  a  defence,  profiting  by  the 
experience  of  yesterday,  *  took  a  walkmg  stick  with  me.  When  I 
was  about  half  up  the  tree,  the  bird  I  send  vou  struck  at  me  re- 
peatedly wi^  violence  ;  he  flew  round,  in  a  small  circle,  darting  at  me 
at  every  circuit,  and  I  striking  at  him.  Observing  that  he  always 
described  a  circle  in  the  air,  before  he  came  at  me,  I  kept  a  hawks 
eye  upon  him,  and  the  moment  he  passed  me,  I  availed  myself  of  the 
opportunity  to  ascend.  When  inmiediately  under  the  nest,  I  hesitated 
at  the  formidable  opposition  I  met,  as  his  rage  appeared  to  increase 
witli  my  presumption  in  invading  his  premises.  But  I  mounted  to  the 
nest  At  that  moment  he  darted  directly  at  me  with  all  his  force, 
whizzing  through  the  air,  his  choler  apparently  redoubled.  For- 
tunately for  me,  I  struck  him  on  the  extreme  joint  of  tlie  right  wing 
with  my  stick,  which  brought  him  to  the  ground.  During  this  contest, 
the  female  was  flying  round  and  round  at  a  respectful  distance. 
Captain  H.  held  him  till  I  tied  my  handkercliief  about  his  legs :  the 
captain  felt  the  effect  of  his  claws.  I  brought  away  a  young  one  to 
keep  the  old  one  in  a  good  humor.  I  put  them  in  a  very  large  coop ; 
the  young  one  ate  some  fish,  when  broken  and  put  into  its  tliroat ;  but 
the  old  one  would  net  eat  for  two  days.  He  continued  sullen  and 
obstinate,  hardly  changing  his  position.  He  walks  about  now  and  is 
approached  without  danger.  He  takes  very  little  notice  of  the  young 
one.  A  .Toseph  Smith,  working  in  the  field  where  this  nest  is,  had  the 
curiosity  to  go  up  and  look  at  the  eggs :  the  bird  clawed  his  face  in 
ii  sliocking  manner;  his  eye  had  a  narrow  escape.  I  am  told  that  it 
has  never  been  considered  diintrerous  to  approach  a  Hawk's  nest  If 
this  be  so,  this  bird's  character  is  peculiar; his  affection  for  his  young, 
and  liis  valiant  opposition  to  an  invasion  of  his  nest,  entitle  liiiii  to 
conspicuous  notice.  He  is  the  pnnce.  of  Fi.«li  Hawks ;  his  clianutor 
and  his  portrait  seem  worthy  of  being  handed  to  th^  historic  in\isc. 
A  Hawk  more  worthy  of  the  lienor  wliich  awaits  him  could  not  have 
been  found.  I  liope"  no  accident  will  happen  to  him,  and  thiit  he 
may  fully  answer  your  purpose.  —  Yours, 

"Thomas  Smith." 
"  This  morning  the  female  was  flying  to  and  fro,  making  a  mournful 
noise." 

The  young  of  the  Fisli  Hawk  are  remarkable  for  remaining  long  in 
the  nest  before  they  attempt  to  fly.  Mr.  Smith's  letter  is  dated  June 
30th, at  which  time,  he  observes,  tliey  nere  as  large  as  Pullets,  and  full 
feathered.  Seventeen  days  after,  I  myself  ascended  to  this  same 
Hawk's  nest,  where  I  found  the  two  remaining  young  ones  seemingly 
full  grown.     They  ituule  no  attempts  to  fly,  though  they  both  placed 


FISH   HAWK,  OR  OSPREY. 


33U 


le\w'''%hP  f  «*f  ",P«f^»'«  «f  defence  as  1  exai  ined  them  at  my 
leisme.  The  female  Jmd  procured  a  second  helpnate-  but  ho  IvA 
notsoon.  to  inherit  the  spirit  of  his  predecessor^rr,  Uke  a    ue  sttl^ 

tfncJ'JS  'hl"^^  "tf  't  ™y '^PP^^''.  -nd  sailed  about  at  Se%t 
thSwhnSi  ma.te^ho  showed  great  anxiety  and  distress  during 
nptit  ^  of  my  visit  It  IS  umversally  asserted,  by  the  people  of  thf 
neighborhood  where  these  birds  breed,  that  the  ^oung  remdn  so  lon^ 
before  they  fly,  tliat  the  parents  are  obliged  at  l^t  to  comS?  tiiem  tf 
f  n.n  iu  t^'^r'^r '  i'^^''^^  ^^"^  ^'"»  their  wings,  and  EngXr^ 

knZ  to  bTn\p?"f  "^'^  "^'^  '=°"?™^  ^«  ''''''  ^^'^  «ven  atYer^tSs" 
know  to  be  a  fact,  from  my  own  observation,  as  I  have  s:  du  the  voun^ 

SScK""''"'''  "'•'""''  ^^^^--^^om  him  the  fish  he^ar? 

fi^J*"^?^-^*  ""^'^^  Fish  Hawk,  his  manceuvres  while  in  search  ot 
fish,  and  his  manner  of  seizing  his  prey,  are  deserving  of  pai'cular 
notice.  In  leaving  the  nest,  he  usually  flies  direeV  till  he  Sea  to 
the  sea,  then  sails  around,  in  easy  curving  lines,  turn  ni  someSs  i^ 

the  face  of  Ijie  deep  below.  Suddenly  he  is  seen  to  check  his  couree 
as  If  struck  by  a  rn  r  icular  object,  which  he  seems  to  survey  for  a  few' 

rwil^"^ThT\'*'^t'''^'  *^'^^^«  ^PP''^'^  ^«d  in  aTr,flappS 
hi!i  ?"•  ^^^u  ''^^.^•'*'  however  he  abandons,  or  rather  the  fish  hi 
LbeVorP  «y«  ^t«  <lif  PPeared,  and  he  is  again  seen  sailh^g  arounS 
SeattSdit^°lf/p;i"r""  r^T  ""^^*^^'  ^"^  he  descends Tth 
Se  S  fa^h^l/lf  '■""'''"^  the  surface,  shoots  off  on  another 
snnf  pi  ashamed  that  a  second  victim  had  escaped  him.    He  now 

sails  at  a  short  height  above  the  surface,  and  by  a  zigzag  descSit  and 
without  seeming  to  dip  his  feet  in  the  water,  seizes  aisS,  Xh  aS 
carrying  a  short  distance,  he  probably  drops,  or  yields  up  to  ffi  BaW 
nf  fi!'  """^^  T'"  ^•'•'"''^'  ^y  ^'^^y  ^Pi'^*'  ^ir^les.  t^o  the  Zher  rLions 

himself  as  a  water  spaniel  would  do,  and  directs  his  heavv  and  labo 

irnr'.marirr'?^'"^?'^'^"'-  ^^  the  wind  blow  liarilShis^^^ 
ne  in  the  quarter  from  whence  it  comes,  it  is  amusing  to  observe  witl, 
what  judgment  and  exertion  he  beats  to  windwa  o"t  n  a  dTrect  ine 
SpSp^^^Sf^If''"^  ''''^'  ^"'^^'-^^  ^uccoslet^cttogaTn 

^T^iaStS^aS^^S^^t^-^^^ 

nLi  '  *  M  '•«'"^'?'1«'-  w«ij?hed  six  pounds.     Anotlier  Fish  lawk  was 

passing  Mr.  Beasley's,  at  the  same  place,  with  a  largVAourJeHn  his 


■  i      I 


r^ 


340 


FISII   HAWK,  Oil  OSPRFY. 


grasp,  which  struggled  and  shook  him  so,  that  lie  dropped  it  on  the 
shore.  The  flounder  was  picked  up,  and  served  the  whole  family  for 
dinner.  Tt  is  sin!?>ilar  that  the  Hawk  never  descends  to  pick  up  a  fish 
which  he  happens  to  drop,  either  on  the  land  or  on  the  water.  There 
is  a  kind  of  abstemious  dignity  in  this  habit  of  the  Hawk,  superior  to 
the  gluttonous  voracity  displayed  hy  most  other  birds  of  prey,  particu- 
larly by  the  Bald  Eagle,  whose  piratical  robberies  committed  on  tlie 
present  species  have  been  already  fully  detailed  in  treating  of  his 
history.  The  Hawk,  however,  in  his  fishing  pursuits,  sometimes  mis- 
takes his  mark,  or  overrates  his  strength,  by  striking  fish  too  large  and 
powertul  for  him  to  manage,  by  whom  he  is  suddenly  dragged  under; 
and,  though  he  sometimes  succeeds  in  extricating  himself,  after  being 
taken  three  or  four  times  down,  yet  oftencr  both  parties  perisli.  The 
bodies  of  sturgeon,  and  several  other  large  fish,  with  tliat  of  a  Fish 
Hawlc  fast  grappled  in  them,  have  at  different  times,  been  found  dead 
on  the  sliore,  cast  up  by  tlie  waves. 

The  Fish  Hawk  is  doubtless  the  most  numerous  of  all  its  genus 
within  the  United  States.  It  pnnetrates  far  into  tlie  interior  of  the 
country  up  our  large  rivers,  and  their  head  waters.  It  may  be  said  to 
line  tlie  soa-coast  from  Georgia  to  Canada,  In  some  parts  I  have 
counted,  at  one  view,  more  than  twenty  of  their  nests  witlnn  half  a 
mile.  Mr.  Gardiner  informs  mo,  tliat  on  the  small  island  on  which  he 
resides,  there  are  at  least  "  three  hundred  nests  of  Fish  Hawks  that 
have  young,  wliich,  on  an  averaoe,  consume  probably  not  less  than  six 
hundred  fisii  daily."  Before  they  depart  in  the  autumn,  tliey  regularly 
repair  th  ir  nests,  carrying  up  sticks,  sods,  &c.,  fortifying  tliem  against 
tlie  violence  of  tlie  winter  storms,  wliich,  from  this  circumstance,  they 
would  seem  to  foresee  and  exiiect  But,  notwithstanding  all  t'leir 
precautions,  tiiey  frequently,  on  tlicir  return  in  spring,  find  them  lying 
in  ruins  around  tlie  roots  of  tlie  tree ;  and  sometimes  the  tree  itself 
has  shared  tlic  same  fate.  When  a  number  of  Hawks,  to  the  amount 
of  twenty  or  upwards,  collect  together  on  one  tree,  making  a  loud 
squealing  noise,  there  is  generally  a  iiost  built  soon  after  on  the  same 
tree.  Probably  this  congressional  assembly  were  settling  the  right  of 
the  new  pair  to  the  premises ;  or  it  might  be  a  kind  of  wedding, 
or  joyous  festive  meeting  on  the  occasion.  They  are  naturally  of  a 
mild  and  peaceable  disposition,  living  together  in  great  peace  and 
harmony ;  for,  though  with  them,  as  in  the  best  regulated  communities, 
instances  of  attsick  and  robbery  occur  amoni?  themselves,  yet  these 
instances  are  extremely  rare.  Mr.  Gardiner  observes,  that  they  are 
sometimes  seen  hisrh  in  the  air,  sailing  and  cutting  strange  gambols, 
with  loud  vociferations,  darting  down  several  hundred  feet  perpendicu- 
lar, frequently  with  part  of  a  fish  in  one  claw,  which  they  seem  proud 
of,  and  to  claim  /i7>/i  hnok,  as  the  fishermen  call  him  who  takes  the 
rrreatest  number.  On  these  occasions,  they  serve  as  a  barometer  to 
foretell  the  changes  of  the  atmosphere ;  for,  when  the  Fish  Hawks  are 
seen  thus  sailing  high  in  air,  in  circles,  it  is  universally  believed 
to  prognosticate  a  change  of  weather,  oft'  n  a  thunder  storm,  in  a  few 
hours.  On  the  faith  of  the  certainty  of  these  signs,  the  experienced 
coaster  wisely  prepares  for  the  expected  storm,  and  is  rarely  mistaken. 
There  is  one  singular  trait  in  tlie  character  of  this  bird,  which  is 
^ej,tioned  in  treating  of  the  Purple  GraV  c,  and  which  I  have  since 


FISH  HAWK,  OR  OSPREY. 


841 


had  many  opportunities  of  witnessing.  Tlie  Grakles,  or  Crow  Blnck 
in[eStico?T;i"'^'T  '^%^'''^  ^^^^  to  build  thr'neste  alSe 
nS  of  vllpf.'l''^'  °*^  ''Y''^  ^''  °^^"  ''  constructed, -sefeml 
Knd  th^  castl  f'Jf  "P  .^"f /''"'^•^  tliere,  like  humble  vassals 
liv^nf  toSpfhpr  n  r^^^ ^h'«f'  I'lyn?.  J'atchinjr  their  young,  and 
of  tLe  nPstS^lI"''*?'  '"^"!]°7-  I  have  found  no  less  than  four 
«voi       .u    ^  clustered  around  the  sides  of  the  former,  and  a  fifUi 

toTif"u?fasrunfhl'?"'«'/ ''"  "^j"'"'"^  *-«  '  asT/'t^epropri^ 
had  been  arSTtnl^''^"'^*"  unoccupied  corner  on  the  premises 
Sioro"fZ°,rerot"^^^^^^^  '""'^'^  ''  '^'^'''^^  ^«  companyLd  pro' 

incTes  hi''exSnrMi  lTn"*^1''°  'Z^'^f  T  ^""^'  ^"^  ^^^  ^^^^  three 
cere  ffhrthphnl:  ^.?",''  deep  black,  the  upper  as  well  as  lowei 
TdUot  e^Zon?^  lower  mandible  has  a  loose  moveable  skin,) 
hlnp  .  ™  /  of  the  mouth,  from  the  nostrils  backwards,  are  liffht 
Srou' rr  ev"p  ^H^  ^'f.  pure  white,  front  streaked  with  broS 
hlh^T  u?  .^y^'  ^  ^^^  °^  '^'^'■'^  blackish  brown  passed  to  the  neck 
edtf  oftJr'VeLh?"  r,*?^  -hole  uppe,  parts,^s  deep^br^w^n?  £e 
;S  "Vf-^e  feathers  lighter;  shafts  of  the  wing-quills,  brownish 
white;  tail  slightly  rounded,  of  rather  a  paler  brown  than  Z  bod v 
crossed  with  eight  bars  of  very  dark  brown ;  the  wfnTwhen  shut 
TtLZ  '"  '"''^  ^^yor^d^e  tail,  and  a;e  neady^kck  towards 

b^rrX'it^LnT'  T?  f  *'"'^  ^"'"  '^"'^  tail-featliers  are  whitish, 
Darred  with  brown;  whole  lower  parts,  pure  white,  excent  the  thiaha 

Si  prb'rlT'tri^!'^'"^  plunfagc'aSd  streaked S^efo^'^aS 
louslv  .trnn  'i    V   '''^'  ""'^  ^""^^  ''^^  ^  ^«^  P^^^  light  blue,  prodiff- 

lously  strong  and  disproportionably  large;  iJiey  are  covered  witJi  flft 

InfX'f'T'^''^^'  ''''''^^  ^"'^  thicknesL,  resLbling' when  dry  tt 
Sie  thP  b-^^  ?'P'  P'^'^'^»l"Jy  «"  the  soles,  intended,  no  doS't,  o 
enable  the   bird  to  seize  with  more  security  his  slipperv  nrev  •  the 

a'trJT'rV'^'.  ^'r-  'T""'''^  ^  li«'«  belortS,'JkS,'a„d' 
circTei  hLt  ''i*  '"'^  "'r^'  '■^•■^"5  ^he  latter  hooked  into  semi-' 
yelllw'oraS.  "  """^  ^^arp-pointed ;  the  iris  of  the  eye,  a  fiery 
The  feniaTe  is  full  two  inches  longer;  the  upper  part  of  the  head 
of  a  less  pure  white,  and  the  brown  streaks  on  the  front  spreading 

rsher';, Ih'ln^rb',  ^v.'"°"/  '^"'^  ?P^^  P-^  of  the  bit'ar^S 
dasiie,  ,th  large  blotches  of  a  pale  brown,  and  the  bar  passing 
through  the  eye,  not  of  so  dark  a  brown.  The  toes  of  bodi  are  ex? 
ceedinglv  strong  and  warty  and  the  hind  claw  a  full  inch  and  a  quar- 

and  nnr*  o«"''' 1  ^^''  u'"'^'''  ''."  "^^  "^'^^  ^""^  ^ind  head  are  ot 
and  narrou',  and  generally  erected  when  the  bird  is  irritated  resem" 
bl.ng  those  of  the  Eagle.  The  eye  is  destitute  of  the™ctin ™e 
common  to  most  of  the  Falcon  tribe ;  tlie  nostril,  large,  and  of  a  curv- 
ing, triangular  shape.     On  dissection,  the  two  glands  on  the  rump 

tt;.i  frZ'JlT  ''%'"'^  "'?  '^'l  *■'".  '"^"^'^t'"«"  '^  f^^theis  to  protec't 
them  from  the  wot,  were  found  to  be  remarkably  large,  capable  when 

Sd  ;  o-;w"r''"^'  '^'  '"^  °'  *^^  «"^^''  '"'J  c^ontain'ed  a  hrge 
quantity  of  white,  greasy  mntter,  and  some  pure  yellow  oil ;  the  eall 
wo^  in  small  quantity.  The  numerous  convolutions  and  lenkh  of  Ae 
mtestines  surprised  me;  when  carefully  extended,  they  mej^ured 
within  an  inch  or  two  of  nine  feet,  and  were  no  tliicker  than  th^e  of 


342 


FISJI   HAWK,  OR  OSPREY. 


a  Robin!    The  crop,  or  craw,  wad  middle  sized,  and  conta)ned  a 

-early-dissolved  fish;  the  stomach  waa  ^  large,  oblong  pouch,  capaale 

of  considerable  distension,  and  was  also  filled  with  half-digested  fish : 

no  appearance  of  a  muscular  gizzard.  u  „„„„„,  ♦!,„♦ 

By  the  descriptions  of  European  naturalists,  it  would  appear  that 

thifbird,  or  one^iear  akin  to  it,  i.  a  native  of  the  eastern  contme^^^^^^^^ 

summer,  08  far  north  as  Siberia;  the  Bald  Buzzard  of  Turton  almost 

exactly  agreeing  witii  the  present  species  in  size,  color,  and  manners, 

w='\  L  IxceptFon  of  its  breeding  or  making  its  nest  among  the  reeds 

instead  of  on  trees.    Mr.  Bewick,  who  has  figured  and  described  the 

"nuUe  of  this  bird  under  the  appellation  of  the  Osprey,  says  that 

!.  it  builds  on  the  ground,  among  reeds,  and  lays  three  or  four  eggs, 

of  an  c  Uptical  formfrathe;  less  than  those  of  aHen."    This  difference 

of  habit  Ly  be  owing  to  particular  loca   circumstances  ^^J^^^' 

tions  being  usual  among  many  ot  our  native  birds.    The  Italians  are 

said  to  compare  its  descent  upon  the  water  to  a  piece  of  lead  fal  mg 

upon  that  element;  and  distinguish  it  by  tfie  name  of  :^9«'^« ?'"»'^- 

Z  or  the  Leaden  Eagle.    In  the  United  States,  it  is  every  where 

dSiominSed  the  Fish^^Hawk,  or  Fishing  Hawk -a  name  truly  ex- 

^"rto  re'lkr^am'Sl  of  this  noted  bird  at^ the  vernal  equinox,  when 
the  busy  season  of  fishing  commences,  adds  peculiar  interest  to  its 
first  appearance,  and  procures  it  many  a  benedicUon  from  the  fisher- 
man. With  the  following  lines,  illustrative  of  these  circumstances,  I 
shall  conclude  its  history  :  — 


Soon  as  the  sun,  great  ruler  of  the  year. 
Bends  to  our  northern  dimes  his  bright  career, 
And  from  the  oaves  of  Ocean  calls  from  sleep 
The  finny  shoals  and  myriads  of  the  deep ; 
When  freezing  tempests  bark  to  Greenland  nde, 
And  day  and  night  the  equal  hours  divide ; 
True  to  the  season,  o'er  our  sea-beat  shore, 
The  sailing  Osprey  high  is  seen  to  soar 
With  broad,  unmoving  wing;  and,  circling  slow, 
Marks  each  loose  straggler  in  the  deep  below  ; 
Sweeps  down  like  lightning  !    plunges  with  a  roar  . 
And  bears  his  struggling  victim  to  the  shore. 

The  long-housed  fisherman  beholds,  with  ioy, 
The  wen-known  signals  of  his  rough  employ  ; 
And,  as  he  bears  his  nets  and  oars  along, 
Thus  hails  the  welcome  season  with  a  song ;  — 


THE  FISHERMAN'S   HYMN. 

The  Osprey  sails  above  the  sound ; 

The  Geese  are  gone,  the  Gulls  are  flymg ; 
The  herring  shoals  swarm  thick  around  ■, 
The  nets  are  launched,  the  boats  are  plying. 
Yo,  ho,  mv  hearts  !  let 's  seek  the  deep. 

Raise  high  the  song,  and  cheerly  wish  her, 
sun  as  the  bf  iding  net  we  sweep, 
"  God  bles>  the  Fish  Hawk  and  the  fisher ! " 


PI8II    CROW. 

She  I,  in«|s  us  fish  —she  brings  us  spring, 

M  flmes  fair  weather,  warmth,  and  plenty ; 
Fine  store  of  shad  trout,  herring,  ling,  ^  ' 

Sheepshead  and  drum,  and  old-wives  dainty 
Yo^  ho,  my  hearts  !  let 's  seek  the  deep. 
Py  every  oar,  and  cheerly  wish  herf 
Btill  as  the  bendina;  net  we  sweep, 
'  God  bless  iheTish  Hawk  and  the  fisher ! " 

She  rears  her  young  on  yonder  tree: 

She  leaves  her  faahfuf  mate  to  mind  'em ; 
Like  us,  for  fish,  she  sails  to  sea. 
And,  plunging,  shows  us  where  to  find  'em. 
Y«J,  ho,  my  hearts  !  let 's  seek  the  deep. 
PIv  every  oar,  and  cheerly  wish  her; 
,-i?  'ne  slow-bending  net  we  sweep, 
God  bless  the  Fish  Hawk  and  the  fisher '  " 


343 


nSH  CROW.-CORVUS  OSSIFRAGUS.-Fio.159. 

Peak's  Museum,  No.  1369. 

CORFUS   OSSlFRJlOVS.-W,L»on.* 

Corvus  ^ssifragus,  Bonap.  Syrwp.  p.  57. 

rS  •?^'^  '"  *?  ■n'Mner  -f  the  Raven  rind  I  TooS  pSve.1 
that  thett  foo<l,  and  their  mode  of  proeuring  it,'  »e,e  airSoKiSl 

the  writhings  of  the  reptile  caused  him  tnS.  su.ffi«"«ntly  despatched,  as 

before  being  perfectly^  -a'e      Roiirn,  hJ  ^  ,   '1"^'  ",","^''  *'  *''""  distances, 

ret  ifiS=.f££S" "  - -^^^^^ 


944 


FISH   CROW. 


ent ;  their  favorite  haunts  bein/f  about  the  banlcs  of  the  ri\  ^ir,  alonjj 
whicti  tliey  usually  sailed,  dexterously  enatchiiig  up  with  their  claws 
dead  fish,  or  other  garbage,  that  floated  on  the  surface.  At  the  coun- 
try scat  of  Stephen  Elliot,  Esq.,  near  the  Ogecheo  River,  1  took  notice 
of  these  Crows  frequently  perching  on  the  backs  of  the  cattle,  like 
Uie  Magpie  and  Jackdaw  of  Britain ;  but  never  mingling  with  tlio 
Common  Crows,  and  differing  from  them  in  tliis  particular,  that  tlie 
latter  generally  retire  to  the  sliore,  the  reeda,  and  marshes,  to  roost, 
while  the  Fish  Crow  always,  a  little  before  sunset,  seeks  the  interior 
high  Avoodfl  to  repose  in. 

On  my  journey  through  the  Mississippi  Territory,  last  year,  I  resided 
for  some  time  at  the  seat  of  my  hospitable  friend,  Dr.  Samuel  Brown, 
a  few  miles  from  Fort  Adams,  on  the  Mississippi.  In  my  various  ex- 
cursions there,  among  the  lofty,  fragrance-breathing  magnolia  woods, 
and  magnificent  scenery,  that  adorn  tlie  luxuriant  face  of  nature  in 
tliose  southern  regions,  this  species  of  Crow  frequently  made  its  ap- 
pearance, distinguished  by  the  same  voice  and  habits  it  hud  in  Geor- 
gia. There  is,  in  many  of  tlie  ponds  tliere,  a  singular  kind  of  lizard, 
that  swims  about,  with  its  head  above  the  surface,  making  a  loud 
sound,  not  unlike  the  harsh  jarring  of  a  door.  These  the  Crow  now 
before  us  would  frequently  seize  with  his  claws,  aa  he  flew  along  tlie 
surface,  and  retire  to  the  aummit  of  a  dead  tree  to  enjoy  his  repast 
Here  I  also  observed  him  a  [iretty  constant  attendant  ut  tlie  pens 
where  the  cows  were  usually  milked,  and  much  less  shy,  less  suspi- 
cious, and  more  solit  iry  than  the  Common  Crow,  In  tlie  county  of 
Cape  May,  New  Jereoy,  I  again  met  witli  these  Crows,  particularly 
along  Egg  Harbor  River ;  and,  latterly,  on  the  Schuylkill  and  Dela- 
ware, near  Philadelphia,  during  the  season  of  shad  and  herring  fishing, 
viz.  from  the  middle  of  March  till  the  beginning  of  June.  A  small 
party  of  these  Crows,  during  tliis  period,  regularly  passed  Mr.  Bar- 
tram's  gardens  to  the  high  woods  to  roost,  every  evening,  a  little  before 
sunset,  and  as  regularly  returned,  at  or  before  sunrise,  every  morning, 
directing  their  course  towards  the  river.  The  fishermen  along  these 
rivers  also  inform  me  tliat  they  have  particularly  remarked  this  Crow, 
by  his  croaking  voice,  and  his  I'ondnesa  for  fish ;  almost  always  hover- 
ing about  their  fishing  places  to  glean  up  the  refuse.  Of  their  man- 
ner of  breeding  I  can  only  say,  that  they  separate  into  pairs,  and  build 
in  tall  trees  near  tlie  sea  or  river  shore ;  one  of  their  nests  having  been 
built,  this  season,  in  a  piece  of  tall  woods  near  Mr.  Beasley's,  at  Great 
Egg  Harbor.  The  male  of  this  nest  furnished  me  with  Fig.  159. 
From  the  circumstance  of  six  or  seven  being  usually  seen  here  to- 
gether in  the  month  of  July,  it  is  probable  that  they  have  at  least  four 
or  five  young  at  a  time. 

I  can  find  no  description  of  this  species  by  any  fonner  writer.  Mr. 
Bartram  mentions  a  bird  of  this  tribe,  which  he  calls  the  Great  Sea- 
fide  Croto ;  but  the  present  species  is  considerably  inferior  in  size  to 
the  Common  Crow ;  and,  having  myself  seen  and  examined  it  in  so 
many  and  remotely-situated  parts  of  the  country,  and  found  it  in  all 
these  places  alike,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  pronouncing  it  to  be  a  new, 
and  hitherto  undescribed  species. 

The  Fish  Crow  is  sixtt  °.n  inches  long,  and  tliirty-tluree  in  extent ; 
black  all  over,  with  reflec  -^ns  of  steel-blue  and  purple ;  the  dnn  is 


»N: 


i 


■|i 


>* 


.(.ij. 


^^' 


Sf* 


i>?i 


^^; 


■iki 


^? 


5    ' 


RIMUEI)  I'LOVER. 


345 


brrmtS'""  '"':;"'"'■  ''"1'"^'"'  °*"^'>'^  '"«^"  .naiuUbio;  upper  inandi- 
inudl !,  eyn,  very  «inall,  phuu-d  near  tho  ••ornor  of  tlu>  mouth  and  nr! 
dark  hazel  cdor;  ronnnbout  hairn  or  briBtle«,  large  ZbC   ct 
Shfhi'r'"'"?''  "™'  ^"•V""'^'  ""'«  '""^^  than  fmlf  the  i'nX 

P  of  the   r,?^Tii  "''"*^."'  r'"'V''"^'  ^°'*^''  '^'^'"  ^"'"  inches  o?ffi 
t  Ln.  '      '•',  '^•'""''^•J.'in'l  »Rven  inches  lon^r  fro,„  its  insertion- 

thisrhs,  very  long;  lops,  stout;  claws,  sharp,  lonj^  and  hook" d  iZl 
..no  the  larjrest,  all  jet  black.     Male  and  female  m.'.ch  aliJo        '     " ' 

IF.  itoTsf  .f  I!%.  "r"  !?  '^^•"'"'"'^"•I  "'  the  watchful  fanners  of  the 

I  nitod  HtitoH,  that,  m  Uieir  honest  indignation  against  the  Common 

row,  they  would  spare  the  present  species,  and  not  shower  drtn.c 

On  .ndiscnrmnately  on  their  hlack  friends  xnd  cnemiesrat  £  '„ 

SretT^X  ''""'"  ''^'"'^"'  '''''  '-''  never'^^lS:" 


RINGED   PLOVER. -CHARADRIUS   HIATICULA.-F.o.  160. 

'  '"vhi  ft";  P/'f ;  J-oT,  ^^'•'■'pi^'".'',-,  ^o-  ■«»•  -  Petit  Pluv  .er,  4  Collier,  BuJ. 

CHJIR^DRim   MELODUS. -Okd.* 
Chnradrius  melodus,  Bomp.  Synop^pm^-Chare^An,  Okenii  ?  Wagt.  Syst. 

It  was  not  altogetlier  consistent  with  my  original  plan,  to  introduce 
wThle  f  nn  I'n^'/'  Waders  until  I  had  LlvaSced  n^ea^^r  to  a  cl"  o 
with  the  Land  Birds  ;  but  as  the  scenery  here  seemed  somewhat  an 

^Zf\l^^^^'''^T  '^''  "'^^'^y  of  placing  in  Tt  two  SsJFig^" 
iSr  f  fh'^-  '■''''"'"^  ^''  ""'''^^"^  °*"tf'«ir  n-^tural  size,  both  be  ng  £ 
r,ettes  of  their  respective  specinn,  each  of  which  will  appear  in E 

tCXle&VlZ^f  ^"^^  ^^^  "^^^'^  -'^'  -  fulE:Tn?Tn^ 
n,  J  wi^*"^  Plover  is  very  abundant  on  the  low  sandy  shores  of 
our  whole  sea-coast  during  summer.    They  run,  or  rather  seem  ?o 

mmMmm 


346 


UINGllI)  PLOVRR. 


glide,  rapidly  along  the  surface  of  the  flat  sands,  frequently  b\  reading 
out  their  wings  and  tail  lilie  a  fan,  an«^  fluttering  along,  to  uraw  or 
entice  one  away  from  tlioir  nests.  These  are  formed  with  little  art, 
being  merely  shallow  concavities  dug  in  the  sand,  in  which  the  eggs 
are  laid,  and,  during  the  day  at  least,  left  to  the  influence  of  tlie  sun 
to  hatch  them.  The  parents,  however,  always  remain  near  the  spot 
to  protect  them  from  injury,  and  probably,  in  cold,  rainy,  or  stormy 
weather,  to  shelter  them  with  their  bodies.  The  eggs  are  tiiree,  some- 
times four,  large  for  the  bird,  of  a  dun  clay  color,  and  marked  with 
numerous  small  spots  of  reddish  purple. 

The  voice  of  these  littlo  birds,  as  they  move  along  the  sand,  is  soft 
and  musical,  consisting  of  a  single  plaintive  note  occasionally  repeat- 
ed. As  you  approach  near  their  nests,  tliey  seem  to  court  your  atten- 
tion, and,  the  moment  they  think  you  observe  tliem,  they  spread  out 
their  wings  and  tail,  dragging  themselves  along,  and  imitating  the 
squeaking  of  young  birds ;  if  you  turn  from  them,  they  immediately 
resume  their  proper  posture,  until  ♦Jiey  have  again  caught  your  eye, 
when  they  display  the  same  attempts  at  deception  as  before.  A  flat, 
dry,  sandy  beach,  just  beyond  tlie  reach  of  the  summer  tides,  is  their 
favorite  place  for  breeding. 

This  species  is  subject  to  great  variety  of  change  in  its  plumage. 
In  the  month  of  July,  T  found  most  of  those  that  were  breedir.g  on 
Summers's  Beach,  at  the  mouth  of  Great  Egg  Harbor,  such  as  I  have 
here  figured  •  but,  about  the  beginning  or  middle  of  October,  they  had 
become  much  darker  above,  and  their  plumage  otherwise  varied. 
They  were  then  collected  in  flocks ;  tlieir  fonner  theatrical  and  de- 
ceptive manoeuvres  seemed  all  forgotten.  They  appeared  more  active 
than  before,  as  well  as  more  silent,  alighting  within  a  short  distance 
of  one,  and  feeding  about  witliout  the  least  appearance  of  suspicion. 
At  the  commencement  of  winter,  they  all  go  off  towards  the  south. 

This  variety  of  the  Ringed  Plover  is  seven  inches  long,  and  four- 
teen in  extent ;  the  bill  is  reddish  yellow  for  half  its  length,  and  black 
at  the  extremity  ;  the  front  and  wliole  lower  parts,  pure  ^vliite,  except 
the  side  of  the  breast,  which  i:^  marked  with  a  curving  streak  of 
black,  another  spot  of  black  bounding  the  front  above  ;  bade  and  up- 
per parts,  very  pale  brown,  inclining  to  ashy  white,  and  intermixed 
with  white;  wings,  pale  brown;  greater  coverts,  broadly  tipped  with 
white ;  interior  edges  of  the  secondaries,  and  outer  edges  of  the  pri- 
maries, white,  and  tipped  with  brown ;  tail,  nearly  even,  the  lower 
half  white,  brown  towards  the  extremity,  the  outer  feather  pure  white, 
the  next  white,  with  a  single  spot  of  black  ;  eye,  black  and  full,  sur- 
rounded by  a  narrow  ring  of  yellow ;  legs,  reddish  yellow ;  claws, 
black ;  lower  side  of  the  wings,  pure  white. 


LTTTl.E  SANDPIPER. 


347 


'        LITTLE  BAI*DPIPER._TRINGA   PUSILLA.- J  k,   Kl. 

^t;.?'"v.  Vaaf  if  ;l5^f1  ■  -^ti  %"•  f ''■-Cinelus  dominicensis  minor, 
4138.         ^  ^"^  ^"'^-  ^y'-  P-  410-  —  ^«a^'«  Museum,  Tim. 

Tringa  pusilla,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  319. 

This  18  the  least  of  its  tribe  in  this  part  of  the  world    anil  in  it- 
moae  of  flight  has  much  more  resemblance  to  the  sZe  'thTn  to  th^ 

It  resmes  chiefly  among  tlie  sea  marshes,  and  feeds  amonff  the  mud 
at  low  water ;  spnngs  with  «  zigzag  irregular  flight,  and  a  feeble  Sl 
It  IS  not  altogether  confined  to  the  neighborhS  of  the  sea  foT  I 
have  found  several  of  them  on  the  shores  of  the  SchuvJkiir'in  L 
month  of  August^  In  October,  immediately  before  tS Z  awav  the? 
Z  bT "^  STolcoTe'r!"  '-'''  ''  P'^^^^"^^'-  ^-di/gSla^ri'£ 
This  .iuiiute  species  is  'found  in  Europe,  and  also  at  Nootka  Sound 

tenfeSTncr''  r^f'ZT'    l''"^^''  ^''  *-'>-  andThalf :  ex^ 
™f  l  ^"'  '  ''■'"  .^"'^  '^^''  brownish  black  ;  upper  part  of  the 

areas^  gray  brown,  mixed  with  white  ;  back  and  upper  pari    black 
Jbe  whole  plumage  above,  broadly  edged  with  bright  bay'^  and  vdW 
ochre,  primaries,  black;  sn-eater  coverts,  the  samef  tipped  wTth  whiT 

eLhSf '/if'^i^f  1'  '"*''  ^'i'"^^'''  '^^  *«»r  exterior  felers  on 
each  side,  dull  white,  the  rest,  dark  brown;  tertials,  as  loner  as  the 
primaries;  head  above,  dark  brown,  with  pakr  edges;  ove" theTve  a 
streak  of  whitish;  belly  and  vent,  white;  the  bilUs  thick  at  the  bSe 
and  very  slender  towards  the  point;  the  hind  toe  siSl  In  «Z« 
specimens,  the  le.s  were  of  a  dirty  yellowSi  color  sides  o?X 
w"7w"hS!  '  '"'  ^''°"  '''  greater  Lierts,  the  primaries^are  cross^Jd 
Very  little  difference  could  be  perceived  between  the  plumage  of 
the  males  and  females.  The  bay  on  the  edges  of  the  back  and  fcao 
ulars  was  rather  brighter  in  the  male,  and  t^e  brown  deeper  ^' 


* 

m 

■1 

¥ 

\ 

848 


BARN  SWALLOW. 


BARN  SWALLOW— HIRUNDO  AMERICANA.-  Fig.  162, Mali; 

Fio.  163,  Female. 

Peak's  Museum,  No.  7609. 

HIRUJVDO  ^MERWJlJVJll  —  WiLtott.* 

Hirundo  rufa,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  64.  —  Hirundo  Americana,  North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  329. 

There  are  but  few  persons  in  tlie  United  States  unacquainted  with 
this  gay,  innocent,  and  active  little  bird.  Indeed  the  whole  tribe  are 
so  distinguished  from  the  rest  of  small  birds  by  tiieir  sweeping  rapidity 

*  Wilson  at  once  perceived  the  difference  bet  A'ceii  llie  present  species,  and  as  it 
is  commonly  called  the  "  Chimney  Swallow"  of  Europe,  though  many  of  his  con- 
temporaries considered  them  only  as  varieties.  The  Prince  of  Musignano  has, 
however,  considered  it  as  previously  described  by  Latham  under  the  title  of  H. 
rufa,  and  again  figured  as  the  same  by  Vieillot. 

The  authors  or  the  Northern  Zoology  have  again  appended  the  following  note 
to  their  notice  of  the  bird  ;  and  in  the  uncertainly,  we  have  chosen  to  retain  Wil- 
son's original  name,  until  the  species  is  really  determined  from  authentic  speci- 
mens. 

"  It  appears  to  us  very  doubtful  whether  the  Hirondelle  a  ventre  ronx  de  Cayenne 
of  Buffon,  {Ed.  Somi.  xix.  p.  35,)  of  which  methodists  have  made  their  Hirundo 
rufa,  is  reailv  the  same  as  the  //.  Americana  of  Wilson.  From  the  evidence  we 
at  present  have,  we  are  disposed  to  consider  them  distinct.  The  only  authentic 
account  of  the  Cayenne  species  is  that  given  by  Buffon,  which  all  the  compilers 
have  since  copied.  From  this,  it  appears  to  be  only  Jire  inches  and  a  half  long, 
(French  measure  ?)  ours  is  fully  seven.  The  front  is  whitish,  (le  front  blanchAtre,) 
ours  is  very  deep  rufous.  But  the  most  remarkable  difference  between  the  birds  is 
in  the  construction  of  their  nests,  —  the  Cayenne  bird  building  one  without  mxxA, 
and  so  long  as  sometimes  to  measure  a  foot  and  a  half,  with  an  opening  near 
the  bottom  :  the  Americana  of  Wilson,  on  the  contrary,  using  a  good  deal  of  mud  ; 
the  length  is  only  seven  inches,  and  the  opening  at  top,  with  an  external  rim,  for 
the  parents  occasionally  to  sit  upon.  Until  this  matter  is  investigated,  we  cannot 
suppose  that  individuals  of  the  same  species  would,  in  different  countries,  build 
their  nests  in  such  very  dissimilai  ways." 

It  appears  to  be  exclusively  American,  and  migrates  from  north  to  south,  and 
the  reverse.  There  is  a  great  resemblance  between  the  two  species  ;  but  they  may 
be  at  once  distinguished  by  the  pure  white,  and  the  rich  chestnut  which  clothes  tho 
under  parts  of  each,  and  they  would  seem  to  be  another  of  those  representing  fomr 
which  are  so  frequent,  and  run  so  closely  in  color  and  habits  through  both  c onti 
nents.  ' 

Wilson,  when  mentioning  the  distinctions  of  this  species,  inrliidcs  a  difference  in 
habit,  from  our  species  building  in  chimney/.,  and  not  in  barns,  like  the  American. 
Chimneys  are  by  no  means  the  common  building  place  of  the  British  Swallow, 
although  those  in'thc  neighborhood  of  towns  may  use  that  resort  for  want  of  another. 
in  the  same  way  that  those  in  a  mining  country  use  the  neglected  shal'ts.  In  the 
country,  barns,  shades  of  thrashing-mills,  or  any  outhouse  with  an  open  door  or 
window,  under  the  portico  of  a  front  door,  are  tWir  constant  building  place ;  and 
although  houses  in  the  country  have  chimneys  as  well  as  those  in  town,  they  are 
very  seldom,  if  ever,  resorted"  to.  Their  nests  are  also  of  the  same  structure  and 
materials,  built  with  clay  mingled  with  straw,  ami  lined  with  feathers,  placed  against 
a  rafter,  beam,  or  wall, "and  open  at  lop.t    The  eggs  also  very  similar. 

Bewick  mentions  a  curious  instance  of  variation,  which  may  be  also  taken  as  a 

t  According  to  ProfpRsor  Ronnie,  it  Is  called,  in  Sweden,  I^du  Swala,  Barn  Swallow; 
while,  in  tlieiouth  of  Europe,  where  chimneys  are  rare,  it  huildii  in  gatcwafa, porchei,  and 
gallerlei. 


Zool.  ii.  p.  329. 


ulhentic  speci- 


HAKN  SWALLOW. 


349 


N 


of  flight,  their  peculiar  aerial  evolutions  of  wing  over  our  fields  and 
rivers,  and  through  our  very  streets,  from  morning  to  niffht,  that  the 
light  of  heaven  itself,  the  sky,  the  ti-ees,  or  any  other  common  objects 

strong  proof  „(•  ihc  .innuj.)  return  of  bir.ls  to  the  simu.  Imil.lu.jr  pla.x^.  "  At 
a  .sonllaM  ,,earBalh,upair  of  Swallows  l.nilt  thoir  nosls  onth.  upp.-r  par 
"I  tholrame  o(  an  ok!  picture  over  the  cl.imuey-coinii.j.  i„  ihrou-li  a  Ivo'ke 
pane  ■«  the  wuulow  of  the  room.  Thev  came  three  years  sucr,-.ssivelv  and  n  a 
prohabih.y,  woul.l  have  continued  to  /o  so,  if  the  roi.m  hml  not  bee  pm  hVo  re 
|iair,  which  prevented  their  access  to  it."  ' 

Swallows  liavc  been  divided  into  vaiious  genera,  as  might  be  sui.pos.  d  from 
^l^rl^ '■°'r°'t  ""^'""'^'^  Wwallows,  Swifts,  or  Martini     Some    .rm  am  ,° g 
No  ,  .Tn»/'      '".       ?u  ""'I'y,  "'.T'y'  """P'  ■"'  ^^  «PPf°'»'=h  'he  poles;   and  n 
wolav^Two  r/nr'sw^'ir"'  whole  Wm«r«/imAe  will  be  comprised  in  sL  individual, 
we  have  two  real  Swallows,  two  Martins,  the  very  strongly  Vormed  Purple  Swallow 
ami  the  representative  of  the  Swifts  in  Chcntura  pela.^'^J.    'I'hese  will  come  3 

H^'hTTr  ^"  ^?'-"^:  ■  '^""^  ■P'^^'^'"'  ""'' ^''«  ^eP'-blicauHor  Cliff  SwalTot 
hguredby  Bonaparta  ni  his  continuation,  with  that  of  Europe,  are  true  forms  of 

i:'Ztj.T^"^''Vr^T'J'''''}  activity  though  not  so  m\.ch  strength  hflght 
Zntf,  IhJ  '  "k  "''"'=  Vr"  ^^°^  ""^  '""'■'^  ''■^^'^'  ^«'«'i^«  proportion  ofpower  Be- 
lmltle5aiSod-'".h  '^'7  T  ''T  ge"?''"'^  ^'^'^'''""'^' ^'ave  the  wLs  long, 
andthetailjorkcd;  the  only  form  where  these  members  are  more  extentfed  is  in 
the  genus  Macropten:rMe\yformexlby  Mr.  Swainson  from  an  Indian  group  whi^h 
will  perhaps  show  the  farthest  developement  of  the  wings  and  tail,  bKrch  bear 
in  .  .Th!i?"P''°P°"fl°'V'''  "l""'  broad-shaped  and  sickle-winged  Humming  Birds' 
llJi  .  H  'T  %h'',  the  motions  are  conducted  with  great  celerity  fnd  ele- 
gance,  and  are  directed  by  the  rapid  motion  of  the  tail. 

in  ^ll.l'lnf'''  °f  ''""'  'ni?fations  which  I  believe  takes  place  with  all  species,  and 
n  all  countries,  has  occupied  much  speculation;  of  the  fkct.  there  can  now  be  no 

confin'e^o  hf  ".°"^'^,'i""  ?^  ''''''  /T''^,  ^^S'"""^'  '"'''"^^  departure,  seems  more 
fi^n  h»c  .1  ^A™'^^'"V°  ^'fy  "^  ""=  """''■*  5  ^°  '■«■■'  "'  '^•'^'"/as  my  own  observa- 
lon  has  extended  The  American  species  congregate  ;  so  do  the  Republican  Swal- 
lows  ;  and  towards  the  cna  of  August,  our  own  may  be  seen  daily  in  flocks,  on  the 

,.mTHTr''''"-"'''f'.°",'^'''"^''  °'°"  ''^'''''  ''««'  where  the  later  broods  are 
stillled  and  exercised  by  the  parents,  and  the  southern  journey  of  the  whole  mass 
as  It  were  delayed  until  all  had  acquired  sufficient  strength.  ' 

ns«:I„?.l^!.!:  'heso  congregations  are  much  greater  than  at  others,  or  like  some  great 
nssemblagn  from  the  neigTiboring  countr;-.  One  of  these  took  place  in  1815,  near 
Ilotherham  and  has  been  made  the  subject  of  an  anonymous  pamphlet,  by  a  cler- 
^ymau  m  that  ne^hboriiood  The  assemblage  and  departure  is  tfius  described  in 
so;^I  irTlil^'Il  r  T"^'  ?^  September,  isfo,  the  .Swallows,  that  beautiful  an.l 
social  tribe  of  the  feathered  race,  began  to  assemble  in  the  neighborhood  of  Hoth- 
crham,  at  the  willow  ground,  on  the  banks  of  the  Canal,  preparatory  to  their  mi- 
gration to  a  warmer  climate  ;  and  their  numbers  wore  daily  augmented,  until  ihov 
became  a  vast  flock,  which  no  man  could  easily  number. "  Thousan.ls  upon  thoii- 
«^',,hTi.  f  "'■''''' "r,^";*  myria<ls;  so  great  indeed,  that  the  spectator 
♦••iu  e  ho  t  ''included,  the  whole  swallow  race  were  there  collected  in  one 

I  ..'i'  '1  "J-""'  '*'?''■  1"?""'"^'  .while  there.llo  rise  from  the  willows  in  the  morninff,  a 
little  before  six  o'clock,  when  their  thick  columns  literally  darkened  the  sky.  Their 
"  ;  '^""7,!  "ere  then  into  four,  five,  and  sometimes  into  six  grand  wings,  each  of 
these  hiing  and  taking  a  different  route,- oi:n  east,  another  west,  anotli»r«oulh  ; 
as  It  not  only  to  be  equally  dispersed  throughout  the  country,  to  provide  food  for 
their  numerous  troops,  but  also  to  collect  with  them  whatever  of  their  fellows  or 
straggling  parties,  might  still  be  left  behind. 

.  "In  the  evening,  about  five  o'clock,  they  began  to  return  to  their  station,  and 
con  inued  c_oming  in  from  all  quarters,  until  nearly  dark.  It  was  here  that  you 
nnglit  see  them  go  through  their  various  aPrial  evolutions,  in  many  a  sportive  rinff 
and  a.rv  gambol,  strengthening  their  pinions  in  these  playful  feats,  for  their  loni 
ethereal  lourney,  as  they  cut  the  air  and  frolicked  in  the  last  beams  of  the  settini 
iun,  or  lightly  skimmed  the  surface  of  the  glassy  pool. 
"  The  verdant  enamel  of  summer  had  given  place  to  the  warm  and  mellow  tinU 


350 


BARN  SWALLOW. 


of  Nature,  are  not  bettor  known  tlian  tJie  Swallows.  We  welcome 
their  first  appearance  witli  (]elif;ht,  as  the  faithful  harbingers  and  com- 
panions of  flowery  spring  and  ruddy  summer;  and  when,  otter  a  long, 
frost-bound,  and  boisterous  winter,  we  hear  it  announced,  that  "  the 
Swallows  are  come,"  what  a  train  of  charming  ideas  are  associated 
with  the  simple  tidings  ! 

The  wonderful  activity  displayed  by  these  birds  forms  li  striking 
contrast  to  tin;  slow  habits  of  most  other  animals.  It  may  be  fairly 
questioned,  whetlicr,  among  the  whole  feathered  tribe  s  whicii  Heaven 
has  formed  to  adorn  this  part  of  creation,  there  be  any  ihat,  in  the  same 
space  of  time,  pass  over  an  equal  extent  of  surface  with  the  Swallow. 
Let  a  person  take  his  stand,  on  a  fine  summer  evening,  by  a  new-mown 
field,  meadow,  or  river  shore,  for  a  short  time,  and,  among  the  numer- 
ous individuals  of  this  tribe  that  flit  before  him,  fix  his  eye  on  a  partic- 
ular one,  and  follow,  for  a  while,  all  its  circuitous  labyrinths  —  its 
extensive  sweeps  —  its  sudden,  rapidly-reiterated  zigzag  excursions, 
little  inferior  to  the  lightning  itself,  —  and  then  attempt,  by  the  powers 
of  mathematics,  to  calculate  thelength  of  the  various  lines  it  describe?. 
Alas !  even  his  omnipotent  fluxions  would  avail  iiim  little  here,  and 
he  would  soon  abandon  the  task  in  df'spair.  Yet,  that  some  defi- 
nite conception  may  be  formed  of  this  extent,  let  us  suppose  that  this 
little  bird  flies,  in  his  usual  way,  at  tiie  rate  of  one  mile  in  a  minute, 
which,  from  the  many  experiments  I  have  made,  I  believe  to  be  within 
the  truth  ;  and  that  he  is  so  engaged  for  ten  hours  every  day ;  and  far- 
ther, that  this  active  life  is  extended  to  ten  years,  (many  of  our  small 
birds  being  known  to  live  much  longer,  even  in  a  state  of  domestica- 
tion,) the  amount  of  all  these,  allowing  three  hundred  and  sixty-five 
days  to  a  year,  would  give  us  two  million  one  hundred  and  ninety 
thousand  miles  ;  upwards  of  eighty-seven  times  the  circumference  of 
the  globe !  Yet  this  little  winged  seraph,  if  I  may  so  speak,  who,  in  a 
few  days,  and  at  will,  can  pass  from  the  borders  of  the  arctic  regions 
to  the  torrid  zone,  is  forced,  when  winter  approaches,  to  descend  to 
the  bottoms  of  lakes,  rivers,  nnd  mill-ponds,  to  bury  itself  in  the  mud 
with  eels  and  snapping  turtles ;  or  to  cret^p  ingloriously  into  a  cavern, 
a  rat-hole,  or  a  hollow  tree,  there  to  doze,  with  snakes,  toads,  and 
other  reptiles,  until  the  return  of  spring !  Is  not  tiiis  true,  ye  wise 
men  of  Europe  and  America,  wlio  have  published  so  many  credible 
narratives  on  this  subject?  Tlie  (Jeese,  the  Ducks,  the  Cat-Bird,  and 
even  the  Wren,  which  creeps  about  our  outhouses  in  summer  like  a 
mouse,  are  all  acknowledged  ti)  be  miffratory,  and  to  pass  to  soutliein 
regions  at  the  approach  of  winter ;  fthe  Swallow  alone,  on  whom 
Heaven  has  conferred  superior  powers  of  wing,  must  sink  in  torpidity 
at  the-bottom  of  our  rivers,  or  doze  all  winter  in  the  caverns  of  the 
earth.f  I  am  myself  something  of  a  traveller,  and  foreign  countries 

of  auuimn.  Tho  leaves  wore  now  fast  falling  from  their  branches,  while  the  naku 
tops  of  many  of  the  trees  appeared.  The  golden  sheaves  were  safely  lodged  f 
the  barns,  and  the  reapers  had  shouted  their  Imrvest-home.  Frosty  and  misty 
morning's  succeeded,  the  certain  presages  of  the  approach  of  winter.  They  were 
omens  understood  by  the  Swallows,  as  signals  for  their  msrch  ;  and  on  the  morning 
of  the  7th  of  October,  their  mighty  army  liroke  up  (heir  mcampnient,  debouched 
from  their  retreat,  rising,  covered  "(he  heavcii-i  with  thui^  k'gions,  and,  directed  by 
an  unerring  guide,  took  (heir  trackless  way."'  —  En. 


BARN   SWALLJW. 


351 


I  affirm,  tl  at  Vo7sa„ds T  .  r^^^^^^^^        bn.«k.„;,n>p  of  K>st;  nuy,«hould 

rC<ri|lar  V  nmlo.        .1  '     "''''^'  ">   ^'"-'   "<-U;4:]lborJlO()(l   of  tills  citv 

Mil,  where  fhev  had  Ini.  /.  w  n''  *-'""'  *''^  •"'"'""  °^  "'«  Schuyl- 
broushtSemalLomfcrt  Llvrfh;'"  ^/"t'^^'"' '•'^f'-io.l  tluMn  home,  ./nd 
lish  this  intKarned  paS  S"  tv^    "''  T'"'  ^''""'1^  '^^'^"  P"''- 

«ocioty,--u.ho\;ouldE^vc  n  e  iTX n^H  "^""^  ^-''''"^P'"-^! 
Swallow  less  dpli,-<.t,.tv,„n  ,1  \    r  '  .'  *'"^  organization  of  a 

functions  aS  Iroy^^^^^^^  ^^  ^  ''i^^'  -'>o-'  vital 

tieslthey  are  ilnwortli      " 

summer,  may  have  bSitund  iralLh^''    o  '  "il/n^S  n'S  °' 
too,  .s  not  denied ;  such  bein,,  i„  souie  pine's  o:ecf,nt(afwm 

earlv  mrt  nV  ^^wulk.ws,  also,  sor)n  after  their  arrival,  in  thi 

freaue'^.t  v/v'P""-'  '"7  ^^  "'"""•'  '^i'  *'^"  -^"l^'  '"^'-'liniys  wh  c     we 
requently  oxpenence  at  thnt  season,  and  be  fl.und  in  thi<  state    ntlW 

evidence  than  one  or  two  solitary  and  very  snspici'ou    repSs  of  a 

Mr.  Somebody  having  made  a  discovery  of  this  kind  ?  If  S  were 
heir  places  of  winter  retreat,  perhaps  no  country  on  eartl  could  suddIv 
hem  with  a  greater  choice.     I  havi  ,„y.,df  exjlorcdniny  of  these 

in  various  parts  of  the  United  States,  both  in  winter  and  in  spun? 

particularly  in  that  singular  tract  of  country  in  Kentucky,  called  tiS 

?nZZ\  "I'T  ''T  °*^  '^'''  subterraneous  caverns  are  Sverdm  les 
m  length,  lofty  and  capacious,  and  pass  under  a  large  and  deep  Hver 
-have  conversed  with  the  saltpetre  workers  by  whom  they  are  len- 

S;^n  A.t^'""  ^""'^  r  'H.'''^'^  ^"'^  in'itnnrf  of  a  SwallLhayZ, 
l^^&f^^^^^^-^^^^^    The.sej)eoEleJreated  such  rejg^ 


352 


lUUN   SWALLOW. 


It  is  to  be  re.vrettcd  that  a  grniiter  number  c  experiments  have  not 
been  made,  by  keeping  live  Swallows  through  the  wmter,  to  convmce 
these  believerH  u.  th.MorHity  "f  birds  of  the.r  mistake  Tlmtch^s 
of  cold-blooded  animals  which  fire  knoien  to  become  torpid  during 
winter,  and  of  which  hundreds  and  thousands  a-e  found  every  season, 
are  subject  to  the  same  when  kept  in  a  suitable  room  ^r  experiment 
How  is  it  with  the  Swallows  in  this  respect  ?  Much  poweriu  testimony 
might  be  produced  on  this  point:  the  following  experiments,  recently 
macle  by  Mr.  James  Pearson  of  London,  and  commumcated  by  bir 
John  Trevelyn,Bart,to  Mr.  Bewick,  tlie  celebrated  engraver  in  wood^ 
will  be  sufficient  for  our  present  purpose,  and  throw  great  light  on  this 

P"<Vfve''or^ S^of  these  birds  were  taken  about  the  latter  end  of 
>  August,  1784,  in  a  bat  fowling-net  at  night    They  were  put  sepa- 
.  >SSdy  iritcr^mainage.  and  fed^ith  NightingaleWood :  >"  about  ^ 
week  or  ten  days,  ^•eUtook  foQd^jfr^ei^^elves ;  ihejuwere  th^ft  pi^ 
all  together  into  a  deep  cage,  four  Icet  long    witTTgravel  at  the  hot- 
tom  ;  a  broad  shallow  pan,  with  water,  was  placed  in  it,  'n  ^vhich  they 
sometimes  washed  themselves,  and  seemed  much  strengthened  by    t 
One  day  Mr.  Pearson  observed  that  they  went  into  the  water  with 
•unusual-tjagerness-,  hurrying  in  and  out  again  repeatedly  with  such 
•  s^viftncss  ai  if  they.  l«»d'  been-  suddenly  seized  wiUi  a  frenzy     Being 
anxious  to  see  th^  result,  he  left  them  to  themse  yes  about  half  aa 
hour,  and,  going  to  tlie  cage  again,  found  them  all  huddled  together 
in  a  corner: apparently  dead;   the  cage  was  then  placed  at  a  proper 
distance  from  tlie  fire,  when  only  two  of  them  recovered,  and  were  as 
healUiy  as  before:    the  rest  died.     The  two  remaining  ones  were 
allowed  to  wash  themselves  occasionally  for  a  short  time  only ;   but 
their  feet  soon  after  became  swelled  and  '"A/^^d,  wh.ch  Mr  Pe^on 
attributed  to  tl.eir  perching,  and  they  died  '^^o"*  Christmas     Thus 
the  first  year's  experiment  was  in  some  measure  lost    Not  discouraged 
by  the  failure  of  Ms,  Mr.  Pearson  determined  to  make  a  second  trial 
the  succeeding  year,  from  a  strong  desire  of  being  convinced  of  the 
Suth  of  their  going  into  a  state  of  torpidity.    Accordingly,  the  next 
seTon,  having  taken  some  more  birds,  he  put  them  into  tlie  cage  and 
irt-eveAr  respect  pursued  the^same  methods  as  witj  the^lasl ;  but,  to 
guard  &eir  feet  from  the  bad  effects  of  the  dAmp  and  cold,  he  co«ered 
§ie  perches  witli  flannel,  and  had  the  pleasure  to  observe   that  the 
Ss  throve  extremely  well ;  they  sang  their  song  d»"ng  Je  win  er 
and,  soon  after  Christmas,  began  to  moult,  which  they  ft  through 
Sout  any  difficulty,  and  lived  three  «r  four  years  regularly  m^^^ 
inir  every  year  at  the  usual  time.     On  the  renewal  of  their  feathers,  it 
appeared  that  their  tails  were  forked  exactly  the  same  ns  m  those  birds 
whS  return  hither  in  the  spring,  and  in  every  respect  their  appear- 
ance wSTe  same.    These'birds,  says  Mr.  Pearson,  were  exhibited 
to  Uie  Society  for  promoting  Natural  History    on  the  14tli  day  of 
February,  178G,  at  the  time  they  were  in  a  deep  moult,  during  a 
severe  frost,  when  the  snow  was  on  the  ground.    Minuses  of   h.6 
cSfiLtance  were  entered  in  the  bcoks  of  the  Society    Jhese  bu^ds 
SSTlast  from  neglect,  during  a  long  illness  which  Mr..  Pearson 

*  See  Bk wick's  BrilUh  Bird*,  vol  i.  p.  254. 


BARN   SWALLOW. 


353 


L^nn.   ^      .^•'"  ^^  summer.    Mr.  Pearson  concludes  his  very  inter- 
esting account  in  these  words:- 20th  January,  1797,  - 1  haTe  now 
.      ninyhou.o    No.  21,  Groat  Newport  Street,  Wr  Acre,  four  SwaN 

wrn'SinV"  "  '"'"'  "  "'  ^''^'  ''"  ap'pear'uo  be 

«i,W,  ^""  Swallow  of  the  United  States  iias  hitherto  been  con- 
^wnn  %  T""^  "^"t"^  "^  *''°  «"•"«  ^^ith  the  common  Chimney 
S  rin  1.  iTP%  J^^'y  ^'^"•■'  ^""''^'''^  considerably  in  color,  Z 
Zh\to\ln  A  '  ^^"^  European  species  having  the  belly  and  vent 
formp'rS,^n  ""'^k'P'''""  ^ho^e  parts  of  a  bright  chestnut;  the 
never  in  S^  l"  ^^\^T"'  ?f  '^  "'""^y^'  """^^  ^«  t«P5  ^he  latter 
hon!L  ?  P'"""?-  ''"^  "''i?"j'  '"  '^^™«'  «'»«d«'  "ind   other  out- 

recnnTtHnf'T^'  braces,  rafters,  &c.     It  is  difficult  to  reconcile 
mese  constant  difterences  of  manners  and  markings  in  one  and  the 

^^Ll  SlSfs^^ts.^^  '''^^ ''  -"*<^  ^«  ^-- 
JS^JXl^wL^Tk^c^^^r^^^^ 

Sr^nT?  "^^  r^^^'  ^  ^"'  ^*  ^•''^^^'  '^^  the  river  St  LawreTe. '  0„ 
vprv Ti     ^1      ^^  H!"^^*  '■''"^^  °*^  ^^^  Alleghany,  they  are  dispersed 
very  generally  over  tJie  country,  wherever  there  are  habitations,  even 
to  the  summit  of  hi^h  mountains  :  but,  on  account  of  the  greater  cold- 
thefrlnn^n     s'tuations,  are  usu.lly  a  week  or  two  latlr  in  making 
exnedS       r  ^'^'^J^''  ^"^  "'^^  °^  ^%'  ^eing  on  a  shooting 
nS?     1  "  ^^  top  of  Pocano  mountain,  Northampton,  when  the  ici 
of  nntnK  .i°"i'^r''u  ^"'^•^f ^^i^'^,  momings  was  more  than  a  quarter 
whipVh„i?f  '  ^  "^f^ve^'  ^th  surprise,  a  pair  of  these  Swallows 
which  had  taken  up  their  abode  on  a  miserable  cabin  there.    It  was 
then  about  sunrise    the  ground  white  with  hoar  frost,  and  the  male 
was  twittering  on  the  roof  by  the  side  of  his  mate  with  great  sprght! 
iness     The  man  of  the  house  told  me  tl.dt  a  single  pah^came^eau- 
Sr^h'^  ^""^'^  season,  and  built  their  nest  on  a  projecting  betm 
S      the  eaves,  about  six  or  seven  feet  from  the  ground.     At  the 
T  ™f  °I        m«"ntain,  in  a  large  barn  belonging  to  the  tavern  there, 
1  counted  upwards  of  twenty  nests,  all  seemingly  occupied.     In  tlie 
71.1      fV^  "'''^^'  .'"^t^^'th:    but,  as  you  approach  a  farm,  they 
soon  cateh  the  eye  cutting  tlioir  g.imbols  in  the  ain    Scarcely  a  barn 
to  which  Uiesc  birds  can  find  access,  is  without  them;  and,  as  public 
tnril  f  'fpr"'^«''«'^!ly  '"their  favor,  they  nrn  seldom  or  never  dis- 
turbed.   The  proprietor  of  the  barn  last  mentioned,  a  German,  assured 
me,  that  i   a  man  permitted  the  Swallows  to  be  shot  his  cows  would 
give  bloody  milk,  and  also  that  no  barn  where  Swallows  frequented 
would  ever  be  struck  with  lightning;   and  I  nodded  assent    When 
the  tenets  of  superstition  "lean  to  the  side  of  humanity,"  one  can 
readily  respect  them.    On  the  west  side  of  tlie  Alleghany  these  birds 
become  more  rare     In  travelling  through  the  states  of  Kentucky  and 
lennessee,  from  Lexington  to  the  Tennessee  River,  in  the  months  of 
April  and  May,  I  did  not  see  a  single  individual  of  this  species; 
though  the  Purple  Martm,  and,  in  some  places,  the  Bank  Swallow,  was 
numerous.  ' 

Early  in  May  they  begin  to  build.    Prom  the  size  and  structure  of 
the  nest,  it  is  nearly  a  week  before  it  is  completely  finished.    One  of 
«30* 


M 

-' 

■ 

364 


BARN   SWALLOW. 


these  nests,  taken  on  the  aist  of  June  from  the  rafter  to  which  it  waa 
closely  attached,  ia  now  lyinc  before  me.  It  is  m  the  form  of  an 
inverted  cone,  wiUi  a  perpendicular  section  cut  off  on  that  side  by 
which  it  adhered  to  the  wood.  At  the  top  it  has  an  extension  of  the 
edffe,  or  offset,  for  the  malu  or  female  to  sit  on  occasionally,  as 
appeared  by  the  dung ;  the  upper  diameter  was  about  six  inches  by 
fivv,  the  height  externally  seven  inches.  This  shell  is  formed  of  mt.d, 
mixed  witli  fine  hay,  as  plasterers  do  their  mortar  with  hair,  to  make 
it  adlieretlie  better;  the  mud  seems  to  have  been  placed  in  regular 
strata,  or  layers,  from  side  to  side  ;  the  hollow  of  this  cone  fUie  she 
of  which  is  about  an  inch  in  thickness)  is  filled  with  fine  hay,  well 
stuffed  in;  above  that  is  laid  a  handful  of  very  large  downy  Geese 
feaUiers.  The  eggs  are  five,  white,  specked,  and  spotted  all  over  with 
reddish  brown.  Owing  to  the  semi-transparencv  of  tlie  shell,  ttie 
eggs  have  a  slight  tinge  of  flesh  color.    The  whole  weighs  about  two 

^°Tfiey  1  ave  generally  two  broods  in  the  season.  The  first  make 
their  appearance  about  the  second  week  in  June ;  and  tlie  last  brood 
leave  tlie  nest  about  the  10th  of  August  Though  it  is  not  uncommon 
for  twenty,  and  even  thirty,  pair  to  build  in  the  same  barn,  yet  every 
thing  seems  to  be  conducted  with  great  order  and  affection ;  all  seems 
hanSony  among  them,  as  if  the  interest  of  each  were  that  of  all. 
Several  nests  are  often  within  a  few  inches  of  each  other;  yet  no 
appearance  of  discord  or  quarrelling  takes  place  in  this  peaceful  and 

affectionate  community.  ,      ,,  x-      tu 

When  the  yoiinfr  are  fit  to  leave  the  nest,  the  old  ones  entice  them 
out  by  fluttering  backwards  and  forwards,  twittering  and  caUing  to 
them  every  time  they  pass ;  and  the  youiig  exercise  themselves,  for 
several  days,  in  short  essays  of  this  kind  within  doors,  before  they  first 
venture  abroad.  As  soon  as  they  leave  the  bam,  they  are  conducted 
by  their  parents  to  the  trees,  or  bushes,  by  the  pond,  creek,  or  river 
shore,  or  other  suitable  situation,  where  their  proper  food  is  most 
abundant,  and  where  they  can  be  fed  with  the  greatest  convenience 
to  both  parties.  Now  and  then  they  take  a  short  excursion  them- 
selves, and  are  also  frequently  fed  while  on  wing  by  an  almost  instan- 
taneous motion  of  both  parties,  rising  perpendicularly  in  air,  and  meet- 
injr  each  other.  About  the  middle  of  August  they  seem  to  begin  to 
prepare  for  their  departure.  They  assemble  on  the  roof  m  great  num- 
ters,  dressing  and  arranging  their  plumage,  and  making  occasional 
essays,  twittlring  with  great  cheerfulness.  Their  song  is  a  kind  of 
sprightly  ^/arble,  sometimes  continued  for  a  considerable  time.  From 
this  period  to  the  8tli  of  September,  they  are  seen  near  the  Schuylkill 
and  Delaware,  every  afternoon,  for  two  or  three  hours  before  sunset, 
passing  along  to  the  south  in  great  numbers,  feeding  as  they  skhM 
alonff  I  have  counted  several  hundreds  pass  witliin  sight  in  less  than 
a  quarter  of  an  hour,  all  directing  tlieir  course  towards  the  soutli.  ^  The 
reeds  are  now  their  regular  roosting  places ;  and,  about  the  middle  of 
September,  there  is  scarcely  an  individual  of  them  to  be  seen.  How 
far  soutli  they  continue  their  route  is  uncertain;  none  of  them  remain 
in  the  United  States.  Mr.  Bartram  informs  me,  that,  during  his  resi- 
dence in  Florida,  he  often  saw  vast  flocks  of  this  and  our  other  Swal- 
lows, passing  from  the  peninsula  toward?,  the  snutli  in  September  and 


BARN   SWALLOW. 


355 


the  Gulf  of  MeS^a^S  ai\kr  1X«?  m'"'^^^^^^^  ^«  «°"th  of 
visited  and  explored  bya^omn«w"l?  tlje  great  River  Maranon, 
be  found  to  be  the  winter  rendSs  of  Z™'"^  I^^T  '•^^'°"«  ^°»'d 
and  most  of  our  other  nii^tor^  tX,  '^  ^"^"  ""'^  *'«^°^«  »«. 

J;\  VTeVi^it;  tr^s  •"?  ^'^'  -'•"^'^  -^^  •^- 

derson,  of  the  5th  West  Imira  ,f„.^''"f"'"«*'by  Captain  George  Hen- 
the  writer,  in  treatL  of  t£t  na^^^^^  P»bl«hedi„  London  in  18(», 
to  birds,  gives  the  following  C^^^^^ 

says  he,  "  are  also  tiie  occSrfnnij,  tf  =  -"Myriads  of  Swallows," 
?f  their  residence  is  geS  rconfined  loT  °'^"°"'J»r    ^he  time 
18,  from  October  to  Febnm™  1  «ftot     u^u  ^^'°^  °^^^^  ^ains,  [that 
There  is  something  remSail±L''!?H'  ^^^^  ^''^"y  disappear, 
ascent  of  these  birds     l^^^jj  ITh,  ^f  '^^^^'^^"^  °f  "otice  in  the 
place  of  rest,  which  is  usually  ^h^senamtdTh/PPf^^  f^'y  l'^'*  their 
savannah,  and  invariably  S  ?o  a  ceS  w  k*^^^^ 
form,  and  which  at  a  distonTe  often  no^^  ^^'?^^  '"  ^  ^""P^ct  spiral 
immense  column  of  s™      This  «hSTk  *''^™  *°  ^^  ^^^^  for  in 
ately  to  disperse  in  search  of  food  thf  **'  ^^^  "^  ^^^"^  «««"  «epar- 
those  who  mav  havp  h«^  f  k  ^'  ^^^  "occupation  jf  their  day     To 

of  a  wateSu^Ihe  :t1^^:  ?r^^^ 

birds,  will  fe    houghtTrpS^^^^^  '".J}»«  ^^«"t  °f  the«e 

regularlytakesplacfat  sunset  f^  ?  l"f "  ^'^^  "^^^^^nt,  which 
but  with'  inoonc^eivab'!  ^^y  Ind  ?h?l  ""^^'^'Pt^^  «'^™e  way, 
this  can  only  be  compaied  to  thefalW  of    "   '^  '"^'''^  accompanies 

"^Ho^dStirif  fs^t^te  W^  ^"  "'^' 

regions  were  more  precisely  Zw^  ^'^'^V^'?  "^^^  '"«tory  of  those 

extent;  M^bfa^^Xp-SfS^^^^^  T.^  thirteen  inches  in 
coverts,  steel  blue,  whiSh7es?ends  rnS'  "^'''^'t'^^k,  ™mp,  and  tail- 
chin,  deep  chestnut ;  belly?  SLdlfninf  7^'  ^'^^^ '  ^ont  and 
n-it;  win^s  and  tail  brown' back  sl"ah  fv  !l  ^'f  '"?^'  ^'^^^  ^^^^t- 
green;  tail,  greatly  forked,  Srextertt«^^  >^'th  reflections  of 

and  a  half  longer  than  the  next  aili  „n?^^'.°"  ''f  ^  ^''^^  ^n  in«h 
each  feather,  except  the  two^nidX  ^  """  ^^f '^^  t'^^  extremity, 
with  un  oblong  spot  of  white  lores  b I -T''  "^'''I'^^^V^  its  inner  vane 
the  mo.^h,  yello.r;  legs,  Zii  pu^        '  '^''  ^'''^  ^'^'^ '  ^^'^^^  «^ 

whS,^Sd\'j^™h?:Ltur^^^^^^^^^ 

"teSr^aJetSiS^  55=^^^^^^^^^^  ^'o- 
and  familiar.  I  have  t'qSyVep  E  'f^'^^  ^^f  •^'^^^ly  gentle 
at  a  time,  where  they  6^03  themtl^J  "^  '""T  ^""^  '«^«ral  days 
them  from  my  clothes,  hTr&c  cS^JZ '"  ''*'^^"?  ^'^'^  ^^^^^k^ 
served  some  of  their  old  compa^i^^^'p^rng  Z^Sl^  "'^^  ^''- 

Hkndkrson's  Honduras,  p.  Hi). 


856 


GREEN-HIAK,  OH  WIIITK-KKLUKD  SWALLOW. 


GREEN-BLUE,  OR  WHITE-BELLIED  SWALLOW. 
HIHUNDO   VIRIDIS— Fig.  164. 

Pealt^t  Museum,  No.  770(7. 
lURUJfOO  BIC0I.OR.  —  VIKH.I.OT.* 


.  North.  Zool.  ii.  p. 


Swallow.  Aud.  Om.  Biog.  i.  P 
p  (;,5_ Nnrfh    y.nal.  ii.  i).  .CT. 


„/•  Nao  York,  i.  p.  lf.6.-The  Whilo-belUJ 
491,  pi.  98.  — Hirundo  h\co\ot,  Bonap.  t^ynop. 


This  is  the  species  hitherto  supposed  by  Europeans  to  be  Uic  same 
wi4  L  r  common  Martin,  Himtulo  urblca,  a  bird  no  where  o  be 
J^^uml  wi  hin  U  e  United  SUvtcs.  Tho  English  Martm  is  blue  black 
rove  the  present  species  greenish  blue;  tJie  iormer  has  the  whole 
ri  w£,and  the  legs  and  feet  are  covered  with  short,  white,  downy 
SC  SieTa  tei  hn«  nothing  of  eithe..  That  ridiculous  propensity 
in  Sn  wS  to  consider  most  of  our  birds  ob  vurieties  ot  their 
owSried  them  into  many  mistakes,  which  it  shall  be  the  business 

*  Thi,  beautiful  Bmll.ial.lv  curious  litUo  bird  I.m,  like  the  lasl.  been  conluscl 

*  This  l^c«"'''"' f"'' '"^".'•',,,.i,^.,,      (jnielin  ni.d  Lalham  esteem  il  only  a  variety, 

'^£  r;l:rpSsJ?--S;r;:i:ul:'a..ce  C-  power  m  the  wlugs  over  tl.e  tail 

..       .hoSLws    an^^^  ""r  •»"•«"  ™n.arks,  is  consequently  more 

.an  '''««"«'■,,'?"'  '"V||  Zir  turns  are  round  an.l  free,  and  performed  most 

hrivat   Maligns  wl-  ch  have  alrcaily  bee.,  .nude  ...to  a  gc.us  by  Hoje.     Ihey 
n^e  S  nearly  of  the  same  for.n,  arc  gregarious,  and  build  and  fee.f.n  large  con,- 

P^Tho  White-bellied  Swallow  bears  more  analogy  to  the  Water  Marlins,  ihan  that 
of  Kim]^  or  those  which  frequent  inla..d  distrrcts.     According  to  Ai.dubon,  li.ey 

fnnst  of  de.n  were  i.pon  the  ground,  a  few  occasionally  rising  and  mat...-  a  sho  i 
most  of  '»•''"  ^f„^^''^"'';"^,f  stream  entered  the  sea,  and  they  seemed  partly  rest- 

IS  'TC^ZZJT.,AtiTMJLL7  iviS  flh J'S'!; 

sivsl"  to  the  New  World. — Ed. 


GREEN-BLUE,  OR  VVIIITM  -UELLIEI)  SVVAfXOW.         357 

^^.::::^Zu!£r"'''' """''  *«  '^"^^  -^  ''--vdy,  wherever  he 

trequontly  buil.ls  and  hatc^.K^fho  W  ree  ft'  .'  ""''  '^'^" 
fine,  loose,  ,lry  .tush,  lined  wifh  I  ,r„n   1  r    V'*'  """*  coasiHts  of 

surface,  and  so  placed  r.f.rlnl '  ^?  "^  Z'^''*''"'''  •"*«'">?  '^^^ove  its 
t^s.  These  iS  a  e  L  allv  S  ,  ^n^if "'  '•"''  '=°'"P>«^«ly  conceal  the 
'%  also  have  t.o  Wolt^theraio'"  '"  ''''"^'''  '^"'^  P"^^'  ^^'^«- 

posed'to";uarrd  ttrtLTitn;  SwaM^'  f ""™''.  ^^^^  "«  '--  -'i- 
for  a  .luarter  of  an  ro.^'it  a  t  n^e  n  7"' /"""/'""""y  ^^^^in^  in  the  air 

ijeepinj.  up  a  low,  ra^  chatte  '  Kv  l"^^  '",  'P""^''  ""  ^'«  ^^^ile 
durin^r  the  breedinV  reason  frem.nntw^  '°  '"''  '"°''*'  '»  %'«?;  ^ut, 
8in>ilar  food.  They  Sbk  tKo2  "^  aT''  ^'^uations  in  queLt  of 
District  of  Main^wW  rl!v„     "''u-"  ^^''\"^''=  ^^^^^^  "^^  fiir  as  Uie 

Gardiner  ir  fols  me  Umt  M  r^ -^^''^  '-"""  '^'""'  '"'^  '"^^  '""""^  ^'^ 

and  its  iroighari     Abouf  tl  ^  Sdle  "  ?1  7^  "f  ^°"^  I«'^"'' 

Jmndreds  of  these  birds  sitUno-  on  tie  S.  f  ^."'^'  '  ?''««"'«'l  '"'^ny 

trance  of  Great  I-Vcr  Harbor     Th,.vw        T^^  ^'''''^'  "«"  ^he  en- 

the  myrtles  of  the^e  low  Liunds   i^Xl'" '"''y  "^ 

bushes.     One  ,nan  told  ine,  St  saw'lne  L'7'V"^/'"'"^  "^'  *!'« 

a  sinjrle  discharge.     For  somP  ti. »!  he  °"9.  ^""dred  and  two  shot  at 

PrincToally  on  tlfe  .nyrtleXr  ™   S^^^^^^^ 

tremefy  fat     They  lea've  us  e,;;i7iifcre'f ''«')  -«!  »^«<^ome  ex- 

j^  s;;  n^s^iSTiSii^SoS  'if  srtr  ^^'  ^^^^-^ 

numerous  as  tJie  precedinir  ,mH  r„,Li        "  *?"»*,  perhaps,  quite  so 

and  tweZ?nches  fn  :xt  i";;?,  t^^^^  ^";,^l«,  ^l'  '^^^^  quarters  long, 
gJossy,  greenish  blue;  wS  brown  hWl!-  ^^u'  rT'  P'^"^'  ^  "&«, 
green;  tail,  forked,  th^ TTekterirfSht'rs  hl'^^^^^  reflections^? 
an  inch  longer  thaA  the  milllp  ^r.^  *®T^f  ^^"'^  ^^^"'^  »  quarter  of 
lores,  blackf  whX  loweT  na,S  ZeZtf  °^  *•  "'^^^''['"  '''•«""  ^ack ; 
about  a  quarter  of  an  Lh  ?eVS  S  f  ^  T^''' ^''^"  «^'"t' ^'^t^^^^ 
-y  a„\  as  well  as"t£telTa^,S,  X&fS^?^-^ 

col^^S^lT^SSti^'l^lX^^^^  ''^  ^-  ^«  ™^>e.  the 


I 


<% 


368 


BANK  SWALLOW    JR  HANI)  MARTIN. 


itiiT 


'k^ 


BANK-SWALLOW,  OR  8ANI)  MARTIN. -HIRUNDO 
RIPARIA  —  Kio.  165. 

J^th.  8,m.  iv.  p.  m,  W.-Arct  Z,wl.Vi.  No.  332. -  L'Hir.^ylolIc  dcriyn^  Buff. 
.-i.  (W2.  I'l.  ml.  frl3,  f.  t.  —  Turt.  Smt.  tW.  —  Peale'n  Mmeum,  No,  IhXl. 

JIIHlwnul   HIPJlRlJI1  —  l.iny*vt.* 

flirundo  riptiria.  H<m<ip.  Hynop.  p.6*.  — Cotilo  ripnria,  %<■. 

Tiii«  apppars  to  bo  the  moflt  sociablo  with  its  kind,  and  the  lewit 
intimate  with  man,  of  all  our  Swallows  ;  livin>r  togotlier  m  lar<?e  com- 
irninitipaofsomotin.os  throe  orfour  hnndreid.  On  the  high  >;Mid>  bank 
of  a  river,  quarry,  or  irnivel-pit,  at  a  foot  or  two  from  the  emia.ce,  tuey 
notnnioiily  scratch  out  fioles  for  their  nests,  nmnmc?  them  in  t  hori- 
zontal direction  to  the  deptli  of  two  and  sometimes  three  feet  Severe 
of  these  holes  nre  often  within  a  few  inches  ot  eafh  -1  :  r,  anrl  extend 
in  various  strata  aloni?  the  front  of  the  precipice,  sometinries  for  eighty 
or  one  hundred  yards.  At  the  extremity  of  this  hole,  a  little  tine,  diy 
irro-ss,  with  a  few  large,  downy  feaU.ers,  form  the  bed  on  which  their 
eircs.  generally  five  in  number,  and  pure  white,  are  deposited.  J  he 
younAre  hatched  late  in  May;  and  here  f  have  taken  notice  ot  the 
Common  Crow,  in  parties  of  four  or  five,  watching  at  the  entrance  ot 
these  holes,  to  seize  the  first  stragg'intr  young  that  should  make  itB 
appearance  From  the  clouds  of  Swallows  that  usually  play  round 
these  breeding-places,  they  remind  one  at  a  distance  of  a  swarm  of 

The  Bank  Swallow  arrives  here  earlier  than  either  of  the  preceding; 
berins  to  build  in  April,  and  has  commonly  two  broods  in  the  seadon. 
Their  voice  is  a  low  mutter.  They  are  particularly  fond  of  the  shores 
of  rivers,  and,  in  Poveral  places  along  the  Ohio,  they  congregate  in 
immenee  multitudes.  We  have  sometimes  sevenil  day.  ot  cold  rain 
and  severe  weather  after  their  arrival  in  spring,  from  which  they  take 
refuee  in  their  holes,  clustering  together  for  wamith,  and  have  been 
freduently  found  at  such  times  in  almost  a  lifeless  state  with  the  cold; 
which  circumstance  has  contributed  to  the  belief  that  they  lie  torpid 

•  I  have  been  unable  to  compare  spe.imens  of  Ijirse  birds  from  both  co">''ne^, 

hut   from  the  best  authorities,  I  am  iiuK.ccd  to  ronsidcr  ihem  iden  ical.     A  doubt 

.   has  been  expressed  by  Vieillot,  who  considorod  lli.;  An.eri.an  bird  as  possessing 

a  Kfcater  length  of  tarsus,  and  havin?  tlmt  part   also  clothed  w.ih  short  plumes. 

Bonaparte  hat,  again,  from  actual  comparison  s.-jid  they  were  entirely  similar. 

As  in  Americafthcy  arc  the  Hrs.  •"wallow  which  appears  ,n  this  country,  a. riv.ng 
soon  after  the  commencement  U  V.mh.  Tl.eir  nree.hn-placos  arc  '»  .th«  same 
situulu.ns,  but  often  pierced  into  the  i^oik*  ■.■  a  nuch  gre.  cr  ''^"S»'\  '';"«  l^^"* 
is  sandy  and  easily  scratched,  n  ■■.:  :,  .,,:  .eet  will  sea  'j  leach  the  extremity 
—  a  wonderful  length,  if  we  c      i.i'.    "c  jk -v  jra  of  the  worker.  .  .      n. 

They  ar«  abun.tant  over  every  part  of  North  America,  and  were  met  by  Dr. 
RicharTlson  in  the  (18th  parallel.  "  We  observed,"'  savs  that  naturalist,  ■'  thousands 
of  these  Sand  Martins  fluttering  at  the  entrance  of  their  burrows,  near  th<?  mouth  of 
°he  Mackenz  e>  the  fiSth  parallel,  on  the  4th  of  July,  "hev  are  equally  numeroui 
in  every  district  of  the  Fur  Countries,  -vherein  banks  suitable  for  '"'""^v.ng  exist } 
but  it  is  not  likely  that  they  ever  rear  jiore  than  one  brood  north  of  the  Lake  So- 

norior."— T'D 


!« 


I  DO 


iv«go,  Buff. 
0.  7<Jif7. 


the  |pa«t 
arf?e  com- 
uidy  bank 
lace,  tiioy 
in  '\  ffon- 
.  Several 
ind  extend 
for  eiphty 
e  fine,  dry 
I'hich  their 
itcd.  The 
ire  of  the 
itrance  of 
1  make  its 
play  round 
swarm  of 

preceding; 
he  seadon. 
the  shores 
prregate  in 
■  cold  rain 
1  they  take 
have  been 
fi  the  cold ; 
y  lie  torpid 

)th  couiilries, 
al.    A  floubt 

IS    pOSR»!Ssillg 

ihort  plumes. 
'  similar, 
iitry,  airi-ing 
in  tho  same 
11  iiie  bank 
ihe  extremity 

!  met  by  Dr. 
,, ''  thousands 
llie  mouth  of 
lily  numerous 
rowing;  exist ; 
the  Lake  Sa» 


<W"IK;  .    SWALLOW  g^ 

Da,.  ,llo.     They  hk.,wi;.  St  the   ea^«hTrr'  '"''''''•'''  f''"^'"ffton  und 
0U8  to  their  departure  whirl.  InH  •""'"™''  '"  Pi-'at  nunil.ors,  provi- 
the  ,„iddlo  of  6cE  ^'""''  ^••"''"""^  f^^""'  the  )a«t  of  SoptomC  tl* 
The  Bank  vSvvallow  Ih  fivt,  inchp-  in,.„  .    ,  .       .     . 

"PP"part«,,nouH«cou.rtMlJower  wh'^l^'^K*'    u"  T^^^  '"  «=<t^n^; 
'sl.  acroHH  the  upper  part  o  'tT^hr'     ^  !'  T'^  ''  ^""''  "<d'<Mky  brown- 

tuf^  of  downy  frathcrs  beJ  idclawi  tlL       ''t  *^''^''  ^^**^  "^  ^^ 
over  the  eyo,  a  streak  of  w     U   So      T'"  "' '  ""'^  ^■"'•>' -^^ii-P  ? 
wniffs  and  tail,  darker  than  O^e  lodv    'The  f   "'','''?.«'»'««'  -f'ite 
from  tlie  male.  "^"     ^  "^  ♦•'""i'"  differs  very  iitUe 

spS;t!„rE;re!;;lL;^^i;:f.;;«^7t  ^om  the  European 
conjecture  U.at  it  parses  to  a  ^^^^^  SdrorblikTonl  ^5^^ 


CHIMNEY  SWALLOW.  _„IR,^,H,   PELASOIA.-F.o    ,66 

't/Ti.7^^2r-^^^^-  -    -Hironcje,.  ..  „  Caroline, 

Chsiura  pela«gia.  SUph.  Cu.   Sh.  Zool.   Sup    „    76      r        , 

all'S'rerSJ-'ui^atte 

first  of  these,  the  representation TntecR/  "^  '"'^""«'-«-    Of  tt.o 

Its  other  peculiarities  shall  be  deteilef  as^n  :".  'ZL^  '^"'''  l^'^ ; 


...-V  „.  uicoc,  uie  representation  in  F  n'  ir!«  ..rjii  *     "-"  "'« 

Its  other  peculiarities  shall  be  deteilef  as  1  V       fl  '  ^«n-ectidea; 
subject  requires.  *^  ^"'v  "  '  the  nature  of  the 

•  This  species  has  been  taken  as  (he  Ivdp  of  Mr  «,     k 
form  they  resemb  e  the  Swifts  nnH   h„  /f?   ,       '  '^"^phens 
tnre  of  ,he  tail,  where  the  S  Shi  l!  h'  "''''""■?'  ''''*^'"'- 
subulated  point.     The  bHI  W  m„r„        ^^^^'^  ""'  '''""^ated . 
»ery  pat'^usculari.y  ■    he  toes  aloTr/f ^'^'^'l  '^"'^"''•'  '  "" 
nakc(? skin,  through  wh  chihe  fo™  of ,?'   "''''';'^'  ■'"'  ""'  "'^ 
much  hooked.     A^l  .hese  proviS  a  e  .res::?;/:  fh"'"'^  ' 
Cport,  they  could  no,  cClVTV"  ^'!  '"' 


•some  strong  support,  they' could  not  Xr^"""'^  '"  ""•''  '"'"      •     r,  ,„,„,„ 

of  trees,  orin  cffmn^ys  /aKeirt    "frfu^^^Tth^'""^    "'     ?'«  "'  ""'  hXw" 


iTenus  Chcelura.    In 

'"Will  be  the  struc- 

"'  rini  to  a  sharp  or 

?s  and  fed  possess 

ire  covered  with  a 

''le;  the  claws  are 

of  life.     Without 

nie  in  tho  hollows 


-.  «^v,.,,  „,  ,„  ciiiinneys  :  and  the  r  tallc 

to  assist  the  power  ,^f  the  stronTfee    "ThpT'  '"  ""^  ?"'*"""  ''"  *  Woodpecker" 

scansorial  fn™  „ .he  /V..ii  7„*'„«^  P^^^^'^ '"  ^  bea.a,iful  ma^ 

1«  ."  the  manner  of  t^e  t'^'c  Ul";^:;..  1"!^'J.^W'**^«« 


rocks,  assisted  by  its  tail,  in  search  of  food  ^^''-n't'ers,  run  linff  up  the  steep 

NoTLm:"Ar5^jS^^^^^^^^  ....  .  .„  .om  ,„dia, 

yet  produced  any  species. -- Ed.       """*"<'  >  out  I  am  not  awar,   ihat  AfricaJiM 


360 


Ciller; CY    SWALLOW. 


This  Swallow,  like  a  1  the  rest  of  its  tribe  in  the  United  States,  is 
miSatorv  Sng  in  Pennsylvania  late  in  April  or  early  ui  May,  and 
migratory,  urn VI ug  Ml      .,„„-'tu„  ,„>irilp  country  wherever  tliere  are 

nrP^Pnt  to  biilld.  This  e  rcuinstance  naturally  suggests,  tie  query, 
Where  dTd  Ice  birds  construct  their  nests  before  the  arrival  ot  l..,ro- 
Where  "i^."'^  7  """  ,  .u  ^g^e  no  such  p  aces  for  tlicir  acconi- 
P'T'.'V  "\  Zuld  ^n  wer  iSly  in  the  same  situations  in  which 

T  e  p  e sent  site  wlh  Jthey  have  chosen  ^^^\^JZ7Z\lfi\To 
manv  more  advantages  than  the  former,  since  wo  see  that,  in  thopvliole 
Slv  sTtlXa  ts%f  the  United  States,  these  birds  have  uniformly 
KteVSs  new  convenience,  not  a  single  pair  being  observed  to 
nreffer  the  woods.  Security  from  birds  of  prey  and  other  animals - 
fronrstornrtha  frequently  overthrow  the  timber,  and  the  mimerous 
Sv  conven  ences  wiiich  tliese  new  situations  afford,  'iro^J<?"^tless 
«ome^  of  Uie  advantages.  The  choice  tliey  have  made  certainly  be- 
speaks somotSliig  more  than  mere  unreasoning  instinct,  and  does 

"^"l^^^S^or  a  singular  construction,  being  formed  of 
ve^a  1  twigs,  fastened  together  with  a  strong  ^^!'f  ^^'^^  ,fj"'^.  °^ 
«,Z  ™  irh  is  secreted  by  two  glands,  one  on  eacli  side  of  the  iind 
B  S  mi^es  w  5  tieLiliva.''  Witl'i  this  glue  which  becomes  hajd 
a^  he  t  vSs  themselves,  the  whole  nest  is  thickly  besmeared  Ihe 
SsiL^fs  small  and  shallow,  and  attached  by  one  side  or  edge  to 
the  wall  and  is  totally  destitute  of  tlie  soft  lining  with  ^^Jacu  t!.c  otJ^ 
ers  a  e  so  plentiful^  supplied.  The  eggs  are  genemlly  four,  and 
^Site  This  SwalloJ  has  two  broods  in  the  season.  The  j'oung  are 
fed  at'  intelials  during  the  greater  part  of  the  n^- u  *..^  w  -1 
have  had  frequent  opportunities  ot  remarking,  both  heic  and  in  tiie 
Eisipp  Territory.^  The  noise  which  the  old  ones  luake,  m  passing 
SlaTd  down  Se  funnel,  has  some  resemblance  to  distant  t iiunder. 
When  hLy  and  long-continued  rains  occur  the  nest,  bsing  .ts  hod 

S^precipSd  to  the  bottom.    This  f^^^^'T^^T^'J^ 
eels  are  destroyed  ;  but  tlie  voung,  though  blind,  (w  iich  they  aio  lor 

SsS^mbte  Lei)  sometin'ies  ^--nl^le  J^J  ""f^^f  ^f  ;,  °  t!^ 
thev  clinff  like  squirrels,  the  muscularity  ot  theu  feet,  and  "i^  .ii.irp 
S  of  their  claws,  at  tliis  tender  age,  be  ng  remarkable.  In 
SsiLt  on,  they  continue  to  be  fed  for  perlups  a  week  or  more 
Silis  no  uncominon  for  them  volunturily  to  eave  the  nest  long 
be&  they  are  able  to  fly,  and  to  fix  themselves  on  tlic  wall,  where 
they  are  fed  until  able  to  hunt  for  themselves. 


cd  States,  is 
in  Muy,  and 
r  Uicre  are 
Hit  ibr  their 

observed  at 
:!  the  query, 
ival  of  F.iiro- 
their  !icconi- 
ans  in  wiiich 
stern  forests, 
to  be  found, 
s  the  nearest 

of  the  iirst 

cut  down  a 
nests  of  the 
V,  er  by  the 
ifficient  frug- 
Kible  him  to 
iirs'  standing, 
ver,  liohl  out 
,  in  tiie  whole 
ve  uniformly 

observed  to 
ir  animals  — 
he  numerous 
lire  doubtless 
certainly  be- 
ict,  and  does 

ng  fonned  of 
csive  glue  or 
e  of  the  liind 
becomes  hard 
iicared.     The 
lie  or  edge  to 
vhic'u  t};c  oth- 
illy  four,  and 
he  young  are 
I  ibct  which  I 
re  and  in  tiic 
Lke,  in  passing 
stant  thunder, 
osing  its  hold, 
liiippens.    The 
li  they  are  for 
vent,  to  which 
md  the  sharp- 
iniarkable.     In 
ivcek  or  more, 
the  nest  long 
he  wall,  where 


CHIMNEY  SWALLOW.  ggj 

afirrey'^roS  Sgein^TSr''"  '  '=°"«^'^«-^'«  «x„e 

pose,in  the  more  unsS  ?arS  ff  tL^''^^^^"'"-  -^^'^  Place  of  re- 
hollow  tree,  open  at  top  Irees  oTthL  k?n,l°""*[^'  'f,"'"""^  '^  '"^'g^' 
are  usually  called,  ImvL  been  not.rpH  ^  '  °-  "'''""  ''""'"' ''"  ^% 
try,  and  generally  believed  to  bpthf  '."/^"°"«  parts  of  the  coun. 
where,  heaps  upon  heaps  Uievdnzi^l  winter-quarters  of  tliese  birds, 
torpidity.  Here  they  £  beL'^^eei  nnX^  ^'"*"^  ?"  "  ^^^^^^  «f 
and  here  they  have  again  been  romnrLT  "  '■^^""•'^ction  in  spring, 
sleep  in  autumn.      ^  remarked  descending  to  tlieir  deathlilTe 

the^SSi^^^TetTecLTrbe:^^^^^^^^^^  ^*  ™!^^  "«  1-ted, 

"At  Middleburv  in  this  sf,fo '"  ^  ^iV®  ".''''^'^  °^  authenticity :  — 
mont,  p.  16,)  «  S;  was  a  W^  f  T  ^^ Williams,  {History  If  Ver- 
the  vicinity  theXaC  16^%!?°""  '^"'  "f  "'^  ^^  "^«  p4le  Tn 
lived  wit4  twentyrodV^f  itirculwh"''"/"''  several  Urs, 
ways  thought  the  sLlWs  L  riedTtr Ll  ll  ^"^Tf ""'  "«  ^^- 
avoided  cutting  it  down  on  th«T!l  .  *T^  *'"°"^^  ^"^  winter,  and 
Swallows  cami  out  of  it  fn  Inl^  n  ''k  ^^^""^  *^«  «^«t  of  Ma;,  the 
day,  and  soon  returned  As  the^LX^f^'  "^^""^  *«  '"^^dle  olf'  the 
iK  the  morning,  with  a  loud  noto  .  g^^^w  warmer,  tliey  came  out 
About  half  an^hourbeforelndo.%  J^^^^^  «oo/dispersed. 

latmg  two  or  three  times  roui'^d  tL  tree  Vnd  th  '  i"  "1°"''  "''""■ 
stream  into  a  hole  about  sixty  feet  from  /ht  ^  descending  like  a 
for  persons  in  the  vicinity  toVSi^^rS.  f  "k"*^'  ^^  T^"  customary 
these  birds:  and  when  aVpeZ„1^  «.[,*£  Wh"^'"'^'  ^"^  motions  of 
ing  violently  against  the  iLZth  ttef  axes''5h?T^^^^  ^^  ^^"l^' 
rush  out  in  millions,  and  with  a  irrpnt  nn  L  t  '  ^  ^^allows  would 
top  of  this  tree  was'blowrdownCeMv  fr%  h^'^'^'f^^'^  P^l,  the 
lows  entered:  there  has  been  rm  «nno^  ^J°T  ^^^''e  the  Swal- 

Upon  cutting  down  the  remaL^rn^n'^'^""^  ""^  ^^^  Swallows  since, 
quills,  and  feathers^  were  fZ?  bm  no  '^o^  ^"""'^'^^  excrements, 
,.  "Another  of  these  SwalC'SrjsTSI^f  "7"'^^^^^^^ 
lived  the  nearest  to  it  gave  this  nr^n.rnf   ^i     L  P''l;^    ^'^^  '"^n  '^ho 
served  to  come  out  of  fhe  tree  in  fhe  1"  •      '  f^^^^^^^  ^^«^«  ^^^  ob. 
leaves  first  began  to  appea   ^n  ie tees     /'    T*  ^'  ^""^  ^^""^  ^he 
out  m  the  morning  abo'S  hal^a^LuTaf  er Tu^*  "tT"  ''t  ?™« 
like  a  stream,  as  big  as  the  hole  in  thp  fr«!  ^""T'f  ^-     fhey  rushed  out 
in  a  perpendicular  line  until  they  wero'^h  '"''"/?  ""t^'h  '^"^  ^'^^"ded 
cent  trees  ;  then  assumed  a  Sarr^ottrn^f-  ^''■^^'  f  *'^«  ^^J^' 
lutions  two  or  three  times   bu?  .Iw.v.  •    '  Pf '^*°™»ng  their  evolu- 
dispersed  in  evorv  direcTon     A  Hnl?Lf"  ""  ^''^/'  "^'•"^«'  '^"'^  then 
in  immonso  nu„ibers,  Snir  sever.  "ifT  '""''°^'"'  ^^^  ^«t»™d 
scended  like  a  .tream  into  t"fe  hole  L.'''  "^T"^^  '^"'^  then  de- 
morning.     About  the  nS  e  of  taSr^  ?r'  '^''^  '"'"«  ""^  i»  ^he 
the  tree  for  the  last  ti.r.r  The«e  hfrl        '  ^7  7^'^  «^^n  ^'ntering 
the  House,  or  Chimney  Sui     The  TrT  '"  '^'^"  ^P^'^'^^  ^^"«d 
the  hole  at  which  they^n  efed  was  abLtT/'^  ^^^u^"'  '^"""^^  ^'^J 
and  about  nine  inches  in  dkme  ter     rttJ  ff '  ''^"'''.  ^"  ^™»"d 
appearance  in  the  spring,  Zthfi^J.nn!^"''''  '"^^^  *^'^  ^^^t 
vicinity  of  this  trJ ;  aHd  thl    '^^JT  ^^^^^T""  '"  ^^"^  <''^"'  i"  th« 
,  anrt  the  neighboring  inliabitants  had  no  doubt 


363 


CHIM^EY  SWALLOW. 


but  tiiat  the  Swallows  continued  in  it  during  tlie  winter.  A  few  years 
aeo  a  hole  was  cut  at  the  bottom  of  the  tree:  from  ttiat  time  the 
sid'ows  have  been  gradually  forsalcing  the  tree,  and  Imve  now  al- 

"Tltgf  Mr!  Williams  himsein 

from  these  and  some  otlier  particulars  which  he  details,  "that  Uie 
Souse  Sv^allow,  in  this  part  o?  America  generally  resides  <W^ 
winter  in  tlie  liollow  of  trees  ;  and  the  Ground  bwa  lows  (Bank  Swal- 
bw     find  security  in  the  mud  at  the  bottom  of  l^kes    rivers    and 
poJs ;"  yet  I  cannot,  in  the  cases  just  cited,  see  any  «"ffi^c>e»t  ^^"«« 
for  such  a  belief.    The  birds  were  seen  to  pass  out  on  the  hrst  of 
Mav  or  in  Uie  spring,  when  the  leaves  began  to  appear  on  the  trees, 
Sfaboit  Sie  nfiddfe'  of  September  they  were  -ey  n|.ring  Ae  tree 
for  tlie  last  time  ;  but  there  is  no  information  here  ot  their  being  seen 
at  anv  time  during  winter,  either  within  or  around  the  tree.    This 
mostConant  part  of  the  matter  is  taken  for  granted  without  Uie 
K  exanunatioE,  and,  as  will  be  presently  shown,  wiUiout  lounda- 
tSS    Ts3,  I  til  nk,  also  prove  that,  if  these  trees  had  been  cut  down 
in  the  depth  of  winter,  not  a  single  Swallow  would  have  been  found, 
either  in  a  livincr  or  torpid  state !     And  that  this  was  merely  a  place  of 
rendezvous  for  active,  Uvin>r  birds,  is  evident  from  the  «  immense  quan- 
Sv  of  excrements"  found  within  it,  which  birds  in  a  state  ot  torpidity 
are  not  suSed  to  produce.    The  total  absence  of  the  relics  o  nests 
Ta  proo"Tat  it  was  not  a  breeding  place,  and  that  the  whole  was 
nothing  more  than  one  of  those  places  to  which  this  smgular  bird  re- 
"orte  immediately  on  its  arrival  in  May,  in  which,  also,  many  of  the 
SsTntinue  to  roost  during  tiie  whole  summer,  and  from  which 
Sey  regukrly  depart  about  tlie  middle  of  Seplfember.    From  other 
circVmftances,  it  appears  probable  that  son.e  f  these  trees  have  been 
for  ages  the  summer  rendezvous,  or  general  roosting  place  ot  the 
whole  Chimney  Swallows  of  an  extensive  district.     Ot  this  sort  I  con- 
ceive the  fdJving  to  be  one,  which  is  tlms  described  by  a  late  trav- 

^^ik^nVontrctbsities  of  tlie  state  of  Oliio,  the  writer  observes 
_7ln  con^nection  with  this,  I  may  mention  a  large  ooUection  ol  feath- 
ers found  within  a  hollow  ti-ee,  which  I  examined,  with  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Itory,  May  18th,  18(X1    It  is  'in  the  upper  part  of  Watertord,  about 
two  miles%listant  from  the  Muskingum.    A  very  large   sycamoe 
which  throu<rh  a.xc,  had  decayed  and  fallen  down  contained  in  its 
hollow  rinkrfive^md  a  half  tfeet  in  dian.eter,  and  for  nearly  fifteen 
S  upwards',  a  nuiss  of  docay.-d  feathers,  witii  a  small  ^^^-^ 
brownish  dust,  and  the  exnnm  of  various  insects.     1  he  teatlier.  v.ere 
so  rotten,  that  it  was  impossible  to  determine  to  what  kinds  of  birds 
thev  belonged.    They  were  less  than  those  of  tlie  Pigeon ;  and  the 
argCt  oTthem  were  like  the  pinion  and  tail-feathen.  o    the  SwaHow 
I  examined  carefully  this  astonishing  col  ection,  m  the  hope  ol  find.,  g 
the  bones  and  bills,  but  couUl  .lot  d.ht.ngmsh  any.     The  tree,  with 
some  re.nains  of  its  ancient  compan.on.  lyn^'  around,  was  o  a  grov^th 
preceding  that  of  the  neighboring  fores  .    Near  it,  and  even  out  of  its 
mouldering  ruins,  grow  thrifty  trees,  ol  a  size  which  indicate  two  or 
three  hundred  years  of  age."  * 

•  Harris's  Journal,  p.  180. 


CIIIMMF.Y   SWALLOW. 


3«3 


before  oveni^^ll.^^^^'lZZ^! ''''}^ '''  eighty  of  these  bh-ds,a  little 

chimney  of  tfe  cZrtSu^eTet"  I  irtohf  EI'h"'^"'?^'  '""^ 
of  suminer  fliPv  wo-o  *-o,       •'"'^'«-    ^  »as  told  that,  in  tlie  early  part 

the  mrAlyTn  SLZZ'^Z'"'''  "' '"*  I«rticular  spo/ ^On 
Swamp,  [  spf  nt  D  irt  of- thl^^  ■  T  '""^  ^'^'^"'•^"n  to  tlie  Great  Pine 
fon„e,f'by  L  reCcteJ  fin^  m'^',  '°""^f  '^f  ^«"'  ^^^^^  I  ^^as  in- 
bank  there,  an,^oKth^np'^n'^^?'"f'"^  ''''^'^'  °t"  the 
Swallows  of  St^had  se  e?tpft«  rh^  ^"''''*''^'  ^''^"^^  *e  Chimney 
windows  of  hLsCse  wlS^ti  '"f  situation;  and  that,  from  the 

I  f^  .n  an  hSs  j^tsT  ^1:^^^,:;^:;:^"^*-'"^ 

about  town,  began  trjle^tZd't!^  "Tu  "''''' f^  ^^'^''''^ 
every  moment  tncreasinrSl  iX  ?  *'°"""t:house,  their  numbers 
seemed  full  of  tE  ffise  w  !  ^°^'  •'"  ,^'f  «"nbeams,  the  air 
seemingly  in  everdirocdr\  ±'''^^  n""?,^led  amongst  each  other 
sprightlirfess  kept  a  „S,  w'  f "  ^''"'  P'"''"^'^''  ""*«  ^^^^h  great 

diately  over  the  ch  mnev  TZ^^  ?  J  ^  circumference  passed  imme- 
cession:  in  this  feint  thp2  .  ^  u  ^''^  """'''"'S'  '""Ititude  in  sue- 
revolution  g?eSrLZe  d  "k  of  T  ^""^••^•"?te<l,  and  the  rapidity  of  its 

rounds,  dropped  in,  one  by  one  ^JJ  f  f  "'"'■'''■7'"''''/*^?'  °""  "'^  *^« 
seemed  to  me  hardly  possible  th  J  i  \  "'^T'  ^?'  ^'"^  "'^^^  '^ 
could  accommodate  them  all  win,f    1    5'^'""'  '"'*^'^^'  "^  ^^^^  v«nt 

I  am  informed  Sev'^Terl   Si  tS'"  °""  ""i^^"-'  "^''^^ 

their  ascension  in  the  mornin,;  hnf  f  ^"^'^  '''''''■""'  "^  observing 

not  that  gratification  M  (£p\  '  T^  *°  ''"^  ''^  '""'^"^^  day,  Ihal 
transmitTed  a  S queries  has  been  sn'  H "'"''"' '"  "''^^"^  ^  '^''^^•^ «'°«« 
towardsthebe-^inninJSw  f,?"r^^  *"  '"^"™'  '"«  that, 

tired  to  the  courtSe  o  IV  Js  "illf '^'-  °^  '7'  **^'*  [•'^"''^'^'j^  ™- 
former;  that,  on  the  mornin^of  the  2.?i  7T  ^'\"  °»'''-f>'"rth  of  the 

served  their  reaacension,  whfch  took  ^la,  .  .t""''  ''^"'''"'"/^y  "''■ 

twfintv  rrinnt'^s  hpfnr«  a„     •  ,   ,  P'^^  ®  ^^  a  quarter  past  four-  or 

-t,  m.nat.s  before  sunnse,  and  Uiat  they  passed  out  in  less^aia 


864 


CHIMNEY   SWALLOW. 


three  minutes ;  that,  at  my  request,  the  chimney  had  been  examined 
from  above ;  but  that,  as  far  down,  at  least,  as  nine  feet,  it  contained 
no  nests ;  tliough,  at  a  former  period,  it  is  certain  that  their  neste 
were  very  numerous  there,  so  tliat  the  chimney  was  almost  choked, 
and  a  sweep  could  with  difficulty  get  up  it  But  then  it  was  observed 
that  their  place  of  nocturnal  retirement  was  in  another  quarter  of  the 
town.  "  On  the  whole,"  continues  Mr.  Churchman,  "  I  am  of  opinion 
that  those  who  continue  to  roost  at  tho  court-house  are  male  birds,  or 
such  as  are  not  engaged  in  tiie  business  of  incubation,  as  that  opera- 
tion is  going  on  in  almost  every  unoccupied  chimney  in  town.  It  is 
reasonable  to  suppose,  if  they  made  use  of  that  at  tlie  court-house  for 
this  purpose,  at  least  some  of  their  nests  would  appear  towards  the 
top,  as  we  find  such  is  the  case  where  but  few  nests  are  in  a  place." 

In  a  subsequent  letter  Mr.  Churchman  writes  as  follows :  —  "  After 
the  young  brood  produced  in  the  difterent  chimneys  in  Easton  had 
taken  wing,  and  a  week  or  ten  Aa^a  previous  to  their  total  disappear- 
ance, they  entirely  forsook  the  court-house  chimney,  and  rendezvoused, 
in  accumulated  numbers,  in  tlie  southernmost  chimney  of  John  Ross's 
mansion,  situated  perhaps   one  hundred  feet  north-eastward  of  the 
court-house.    In  this  last  retreat  I  several  times  counted  more  than 
two  hundred  go  in  of  an  evening,  when  I  could  not  perceive  a  single 
bird  enter  the  court-house  chimney.    I  was  much  diverted  one  eve- 
ning on  seeing  a  cat,  wliicli  came  upon  the  roof  of  the  house,  and 
placed  herself  near  tlie  chimney,  where  she  strove  to  arrest  the  birds 
as  they  entered,  without  success :  she  at  length  ascended  to  the  chim- 
ney top  and  took  her  station,  and  the  birds  descended  in  gyrations 
without  seeming  to  regard  grimalkin,  who  made  frequent  attempts  to 
grab  them.     1  was  pleased  to  see  that  tliey  all  escaped  her  fangs. 
About  tlie  first  week  in  the  nintli  month,  [September,]  the  birds  quite 
disappeared;   since  which  I  have  not  observed  a  single  individual. 
Th(jugh  I  was  not  so  fortunate  as  to  be  present  at  tlieir  general  assem- 
bly and  council,  when  they  concluded  to  take  their  departure,  nor  did 
I  see  them  commence  their  flight,  yet  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  none 
of  them  remain  in  any  of  our  chimneys  here.    I  have  had  access  to 
Ross's  chimney,  where  they  last  resorted,  and  could  see  the  lights  out 
from  bottom  to  top,  without  the  least  vestige  or  appearance  of  any 
birds.    Mary  Ross  also  informed  me,  tliat  they  have  had  their  chim- 
neys swept  previous  to  their  making  fires,  and,  tliough  late  in  autumn, 
no  birds  have  been  found  there.     Chimneys,  also,  which  have  not  been 
used,  have  been  ascended  by  sweeps  in  the  winter  without  discovering 
any.    Indeed,  all  of  them  are  swept  every  fall  and  winter,  and  I  have 
never  heard  of  the  Swallows  being  found,  in  either  a  dead,  living,  or 
torpid  state.     As  to  the  court-house,  it  has  been  occupied  as  a  place 
of  worship  two  or  three  times  a-week  for  several  weeks  past,  and  at 
those  times  there  has  been  fire  in  tlie  stoves,  the  pipes  of  theni  going 
into  the  chimney,  which  is  shut  up  at  bottom  by  brick  work  ;  and,  as 
the  birds  had  forsaken  that  place,  it  remains  pretty  certain  that  they 
did  not  return  there ;  and,  if  they  did,  the  smoke,  I  think,  would  be 
deleterious  to  their  existence,  especially  as  I  never  knew  tlum  to 
resort  to  kitchen  chimneys  where  fire  was  kept  in  the  summer.     1 
think  I  have  noticed  them  enter  such  chimneys  for  the  purpose  ol 
exploring ;  but  1  liave  also  noticed  that  liiey  iiriiiiediately  ascended, 
and  went  off,  on  finding  fire  and  smoke." 


furf:.e  martin. 


365 


examined 
contained 
heir  nests 
It  choked, 
3  observed 
rter  of  the 
of  opinion 
3  birds,  or 
hat  opera- 
wn.     It  is 
-house  for 
•wards  the 
I  place." 
;  — "After 
Gaston  had 
disappear- 
dezvoused, 
ohn  Ross's 
ird  of  the 
more  than 
ve  a  single 
1  one  eve- 
house,  and 
t  the  birds 
tlie  chim- 
i  gyrations 
attempts  to 
her  fangs, 
birds  quite 
individual, 
eral  assem- 
ire,  nor  did 
i  that  none 
I  access  to 
3  lights  out 
!ce  of  any 
;heir  chim- 
in autumn, 
re  not  been 
Jiscovering 
and  I  have 
i,  living,  or 
I  as  a  place 
past,  and  at 
theni  going 
rk ;  and,  as 
n  that  they 
:,  would  be 
iw  thom  to 
Jiimmer.     I 
purpose  ol 
)'  ascended, 


The  Chimney  Swallow  is  easily  distinguished  in  air  from  the  rest 
of  Its  tribe  here,  by  its  long  wings,  its  short  body,  the  quick  and  slight 
vibrations  of  its  wings,  and  its  wide  unexpected  diving  rapidity  of 
flight;  shooting  swiftly  in  various  directions  without  any  apparent 
motion  of  the  wings,  and  uttering  the  sounds  tsip  tsip  tsip  tsee  tsce  in 
a  liurried  manner.  In  roisting,  the  thorny  extremities  of  its  tail  am 
thrown  in  for  its  support.  It  is  never  seen  to  alight  but  in  hollow 
ti'ces  or  chimneys  ;  is  always  most  gay  and  active  in  wet  and  trlouniy 
ivoa.tlicr ;  and  is  the  earliest  abroad  in  tlie  morning,  and  latest  out  in 
evening,  of  all  our  Swallows.  About  the  first  or  second  weeic  in  Sep- 
tember, they  move  off  to  the  soutli,  being  often  observed  on  their  route, 
accompanied  by  the  Purple  Martins. 

VViien  we  compare  the  manners  of  these  birds,  while  here,  with  the 
account  given  by  Captain  Henderson  of  those  that  winter  in  such 
multitudes  at  Honduras,  it  is  impossible  not  to  be  struck  with  the 
resemblance,  or  to  suppress  our  strong  suspicions  that  they  may  prob- 
ably be  the  very  same. 

This  species  is  four  inches  and  a  half  in  lengtli,  and  twelve  inches 
in  extent ;  altogether  of  a  deep  sooty  brown,  except  the  chin  and 
line  over  the  eye,  which  are  of  a  dull  white ;  the  lores,  as  in  all  the 
rest,  are  black ;  bill  extremely  short,  hard,  and  black  ;  nostrils,  placed 
ma  slightly  elevated  membrane;  legs,  covered  with  a  loose  purplish 
skin ;  thighs,  naked  and  of  the  same  tint ;  feet,  extremely  muscular ; 
the  three  fore  toes,  nearly  of  a  length ;  claws,  very  sharp ;  the  wing, 
when  closed,  extends  an  inch  and  a  half  beyond  the  tip  of  the  tail, 
which  is  rounded,  and  consists  of  ten  feathers,  scarcely  longer  tlian 
their  coverts ;  their  shafts  extend  beyond  the  vanes,  are  sharp-pointed, 
strong,  and  very  elastic,  and  of  a  deep  black  color ;  tlie  shafts  of  the 
veing-quills  are  also  remarkably  strong ;  eye,  black,  surrounded  by  p 
bare  blackish  skin,  or  orbit 

The  female  can  scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  male  by  her 
plumage. 


PURPLE   MARTIN. -HIRUNDO  PURPUREA.— Fig.  167,  Male  ; 

Fig.  1C8,  Female. 

Lath.SynAv.  p.  674,  21.    Ihid.  iv.  p.  57.5,  23.—Catesh.  Car.  i.  51.— Arct.  Zool. 

II.  No.  333. —  Hirondelle  blue  tie  l;i  Caroline,  Buff.  vi.  p.  674.    PI.  enl.  722 

Le  Martinet  couleur  de  pourpre,  nuff\  vi.  p.  6?6.  —  Turt.  Syst.  629  —  Edw 
120.  —  Hirundo  subis,  Lath.  iv.  p.  576,  24.  —  Peale's  Museum,  Nos.  7645,  7646.' 

H/RUJfDO  PURPURKS.  —  hndfxvi.* 

Hirundo  purpurea,  Bonap.  Sijnop.  p.  Gi.  — North.  Zool.  ii.  p.  336.  — The  Purple 
Martin,  Aud.  Orn.  Biog.  i.  p.  114,  pi.  22,  male  and  female. 

This  well-known  bird  is  a  general  inhabitant  of  the  United  States, 
and  a  particular  favorite  wherever  he  takes  up  his  abode.    I  never  met 

*  This  bird,  at  first  sight,  almost,  presents  a  different  appearanr«  from  a  Swallow  • 
but,  upon  examination,  all  the  members  are  truly  that  ot  Hirundo,  developed  par- 
31*  •" 


iiiti 


ao6 


PURPLE   MARTIN. 


with  more  than  one  man  who  disliked  the  Martins,  mid  would  not  per- 
mit them  to  settle  about  his  house.  This  was  a  ponurious,  close-fisted 
Gonuan,  wlio  hated  them,  because,  iis  ho  said,  "  llxy  eat  his  jjean."  1 
told  him  he  must  certainly  bo  mistsiken,  as  I  never  knew  an  instance 
of  Martins  eating  vats;  but  he  replied  with  coolness,  tlial  he  iiad 
iniuiy  times  seen  them  himself  "  blayinff  near  tlie  hife,  and  goinj; 
.srhnip,  schiuip"  by  which  1  understood  that  it  was  his  bees  that  hac 
been  tlie  sufterors ;  and  tlie  charge  could  not  bo  denied. 

This  sociable  and  half-domosticatcd  bird  arrives  in  the  souther 
IVoiiticrs  of  the  United  States  late  in  February,  or  early  in  March  ; 
reaches  Pennsylvania  about  the  Ist  of  April,  and  extends  his  migra- 
tions a-^  far  nortli  as  the  country  round  Hudson's  Bay,  where  he  is  tirst 
seen  in  May,  and  disappears  in  August ;  so,  accordmg  to  the  doctrine 
of  torpidity,  has,  consequently,  a  pretty  long  annual  nap,  in  those 
frozen  regions,  of  eight  or  nine  months  under  the  ice  !  We,  however, 
c.lioose  to  consider  him  as  advancing  northerly  with  the  gnulunl 
approach  of  spring,  and  retiring  with  his  young  family,  on  Uie  first 
d'jfline  of  summer,  to  a  more  ct)ngoniul  climate. 

The  sunmier  residence  of  tliis  agreeable  bird  is  universally  amon'r 
tlic  habitations  of  man  ;  wiio,  liaving  no  interest  in  his  destruction,  and 
deriving  considerable  advantage,  as  well  us  amusement,  from  his  com- 
pany, is  generally  his  friend  and  protector.  Wherever  he  conies,  lie 
finds  some  hospitable  retreat  fitted  up  for  his  accommodation,  and  that 
of  his  young,  eitlier  in  the  projecting  wooden  cornice,  on  the  top  of 
tiie  roof,  or  sign-post,  in  the  box  appropriated  to  the  Blue  Bird  ;  or,  if 
all  tliese  be  wanting,  in  tlie  Dove-house  among  the  Pigeons.  In  tliis 
last  case,  he  sometimes  takes  possession  of  one  quarter,  or  tier,  of  the 
premises,  in  which  not  a  Pigeon  dare  for  a  moment  set  its  foot  Some 
people  have  large  conveniences  formed  for  the  Martins,  with  many 
apartments,  which  are  usually  full  tenanted,  and  occupied  regularly 
every  spring;  and,  in  such  places,  particular  individuals  have  been 

tinil.irlv  the  l>ill,  in  mi  rxtra<)r<liiir.ry  exlciil.  The.  l)ill  is  very  nearly  tliat  of  a 
Pionii'tts.  or  I'tiliosomjs  ;  liiil  llic  ei'oiumiy  uf  llio  hirtl  presents  no  atlinity  to  the 
Ijcrry-eaters ;  ami  iho  oulv  (liflerenc-e  in  lis  Itcding-  seems  tlic  prel'erencc  to  larger 
beetles,  wasps,  or  boos,  which  its  strength  enables  it  to  despatch  without  any  dan- 
ger to  itself. 

This  bird  exclusively  belonjjs  to  the  New  World,  and  its  migrations  have  a  vorv 
exi.Mwivo  range.  It  makes  iYs  first  appearance  at  Great  Hear  Lake  on  the  17lh 
Mav.  at  which  time  the  snow  still  partially  covers  the  ground,  and  the  rivers  and 
lakes  are  fast  bound  in  ice.  In  the  middle  of  August,  it  retires  again  with  its  young 
brood  from  the  Fur  Countries.  In  a  soutlurn  direction,  Mr.  Swainson  observed 
iiuiii!>ers  round  Pernambuco,  ?,\  degrees  south  of  the  line.  They  migrate  in  flocks, 
and  at  a  very  slow  rate.  The  account  of  Mr.  Audubon,  who  witnessed  them,  will 
show  the  possibility  of  much  less  powerful  l)irds  performing  an  immense  distance, 
especially  where  every  mile  brings  them  an  adtlltional  supply  of  food,  and  a  more 
genial  eirmate.  I  give  his  own  words  :  —  '•  I  have  had  several  opportunities,  at  the 
period  of  their  arrival,  of  seeing  prodigious  flocks  moving  over  that  city  (New  Or- 
leans) or  its  vicinity,  at  a  considerable  height,  each  bird  performing  circular  sweeps 
as  it  proceedcd.^r  the  purpose  of  procuring  food.  These  flocks  were  loose,  and 
moved  either  westward,  or  towards  the  north-west,  at  a  rate  not  exceeding  four 
mills  in  the  hour,  as  1  walked  under  one  of  them,  with  ea.se,  for  upwards  of  two 
miles,  at  that  rate,  on  the  lili  of  February,  1821,  on  the  bank  of  tlie  river  below 
the  city,  constantly  looking  up  at  the  birds,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  many  pa.s- 
ers,  who  were  bent  on   far  different  nursuits.      My  Fahrenheit's  thermometer 


Btood 
aad  a 


at  f>8°,  the  weather  being  calm  and  drizzly.    This  flock  ei 
half  in  length,  by  a  quarter  of  a  rniie  in  breadth. '  —  Ed. 


I'his  flock  extended  about  a  mile 


kfW' 


PURPLE    MARTIN. 


367 


ou^'hirS^'l  £  IZf?  "l  T'  °^"'y  ■"'■■'  "'■""..lion, 
Esci  iuS  „r  ?i  ,  '°"""'  '""'  ^"oralilf  Jul  n  JoBcpIi  II,.,„v 

flatSh     inThnrt  >  .         "P'"^'?  itspassape;  the  head  and  boly  are 

Rir^ /«r   T  V°  ^''^  domestic  history,  if  it  may  be  so  called  of  the  Blup 

and'tle  Martin  '^l^f'  'T  ''  ''"'''  ^^^  channin/a  'desS  pSon) 
ZitpS   £.  t'P  T*  ™^  ^°^'^°  i'""  an  anecdote: -In  1800  I  re- 

Knowin?  the  bSr.'  ''  n  ^'"^'  i^  ^«"  '""^^  "^ove  HarSurgh 
thoM  I-  •  ''"^^^  ^^"^^^'«  t"  ^  filmier  from  the  ne'  "^^orhood  of 
Snw?'''^'";  '"  P'-^Y'^nting  the  depredations  of  the  BaFd  Se  the 
Wp  h"  ^r"  f'^\Crovvs,  my  carpenter  was  employed  totrm  a 
S!n  """'.r'  ^  "^  "'""^^'"  «f  apartments  for  the  Martin.  The  hex  waJ 
put  up  m  tlie  autuma     Near  ana  around  the  honse  were  a  numbS 

forZf^T^lPP^^-^''^^'  ^"«1  ™"=J^  shrubbery,-a  very  fit  haunt 
for  the  feathered  race.    About  the  middle  of  FoK'uary.  the  Kue  BiJdi 


il  < 


368 


ITUIM.::  MAR'HN. 


came;  in  a  sl.ort  lime  thoy  were  very  faimlmr,  and  took  posseBsion 
of  the  box  ;  tlio8(!  consisted  of  two  or  tliree  pairn  By  the  15th  of 
May,  U.0  Blue  Hirds  had  efrgs,  if  not  yonng.  ^n^v  the  Martins  arrived 
in  luuiibcrB,  visited  the  box,  and  a  severe  conflict  ensued.  The  Blue 
Birds,  seei  linKly  animated  by  tiioir  ri-lit  of  possession,  or  for  the  pro- 
tectic  II  of  thei? younjr,  were  victorious.  Tfie  Martins  repularly  arrived 
about  the  aiid/lo  of^May,  for  U.e  eight  fo  lowing  years,  examined  the 
apartments  of  Uio  box,  in  the  absence  of  the  Blue  Birds,  but  were 
uniformly  compelled  to  fly  upon  the  return  of  tJie  latter. 

"The  trouble  caused  you  by  reading  tins  note  you  will  be  pleased 
to  charge  to  the  Martin.     A  box  replete  with  that  beautiful  traveler, 
is  not  very  distant  from  my  bed-head.     Their  notes  seem  discordant 
because  of  their  nu  nbers;  yet  to  me  they  are  pleasing.     The  indus- 
trious farmer  and  mechanic  would  do  well  to  have  a  box  fixed  near 
Uie  apartments  of  tlieir  drowsy  laborers.    Just  as  the  dawn  approaches, 
Uir  Martin  begins  its  notrs,  which  h-st  half  a  minute  or  more;  and 
then  subside  until  the  twilight  is  fairiy  broken.     An  animated  and 
incessant  iimsical  chattering  now  ensu'  r,  Bufficient  to  arouse  Jie  most 
sleepy  person.      Perhaps  chanticleer   Is   not  their  superior  in  this 
beneficial  qualification  ;  and  he  is  fV.r  boaeath  the  Martin  in  his  pow- 
ers of  annoying  birds  of  prey."         ...,„,       ,  .  ,       ,.         ,„.„u 
I  shall  add  a  few  particulars  to  this  faithful  and  interesting  sketch 
by  my  deceased  friend  :  — About  the  iniddle    or  20th,  of  April,  the 
Martins  first  begin  to  prepare  tlieir  nest    The  last  of  these  which  I 
examined,  was  formed  of  dry  leaves  of  the  weeping  willow,  slender 
straws,  hay,  and  feathers  in  considerable  quantity.     The  egge  were 
four,  very  small  for  the  size  of  the  bird,  and  pure  white,  without  any 
spotfl      The   first  brood   appears  in  May,  the   second  late  in  July. 
Durinff  Uio  period  in  v'-ch  the  female  is  laying,  and  before  she  com- 
mences incubation,  they  are  both  from  home  the  greater  part  of  the 
day.    When  the  female  is  sittiuir,  she  is  frequently  visited  by  the  male, 
who  also  occupies  her  place  while  she  takes  a  short  recreation  abroad. 
He  also  oflen  passes  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  the  apartment  beside  her, 
and  has  become  quite  domesticated  since  her  confinement     He  sits 
on  the  outside,  dressing  and  arranging  his  plumage,  occasionally  poss- 
intr  to  Uie  door  of  the  apartment  as  if  to  inquire  how  she  does.    His 
notes,  at  this  time,  seemed  to  have  assumed  a  peculiar  softness,  and 
his  eratulations  are  expressive  of  much  tenderness.    Comugal  hdelity, 
even  where  there  is   a  number  together,  seems  to  be  laith  ully  jrre- 
scrved  by  these  birds.    On  the  2.5th  of  May,  a  male  and  female  Martin 
took  possession  of  a  box  in  Mr.  Bartram's  garden.     A  day  or  two  aflcr, 
a  second  female  made  her  appearance,  and  staid  for  several  days ;  but, 
from  the  cold  reception  she  met  with,  being  frequently  beat  off  by  the 
male,  she  finally  abandoned  the  place,  and  set  off,  no  doubt,  to  seek  for 
a  more  sociable  companion.  „■  j  ■    ^u    ^ 

The  Purple  Martin,  like  his  half-cousm  the  King  Bird,  is  the  terror 
of  Crows,  Hawks,  and  Eagles.  These  he  attacks  whenever  they  make 
their  appearance,  and  with  such  vigor  and  rapidity,  that  they  instantly 
have  recourse  to  flight  So  well  known  is  this  to  the  lesser  birds,  and 
to  the  domestic  poultry,  that,  as  soon  as  they  hear  the  Martin  s  voice 
encraeed  in  fight,  all  is  alarm  and  consternation.  To  observe  with 
^K'a*  opipt  "nl  nndacity  this  bird  dives  ai:d  sweeps  upon  and  around  the 


m- 


♦^ 


PURPLK  AlAKTliN. 


309 


rrawk  or  the  Eagle,  is  afltoniahinjr.  Ho  nl.,.  b(>8tow8  an  otousioFial 
bastina^  injr  on  tlio  Kitijr  Bird  wlion  he  CukIh  him  too  ii.«ar  his  premises ; 
thnugli  h.-  nill,  at  any  time,  instantly  co-opcrato  with  iiiin  in  attaciunjr 
tno  corniiioM  enemy. 

The  Martin  difrors  from  all  the  rest  of  our  .Suallown  in  the  particu- 

ar  prey  winch  ho  selects.     Wasps,  boos,  Inrjre  booties,  purtkularly 

those  allied  by  the  boys  /roldsmiUm,  seem  his  favorito  yamo.     I  have 

talUMi  four  ()l  tlioso  large  booties  from  the  stoinnch  of  a  Purple  Martin. 

oacli  ol  which  seemed  entire,  and  oven  iinbrtiisod. 

The  night  of  the  Purple  Martin  iinit(!s  in  it  all  the  swiftnesB,  ease, 
rapidity  ot  turning,  and  gracefulness  of  motion  of  its  tribe.  Like  the 
Swift  o  Lurope,  he  sails  much  with  little  action  of  the  wings.  He 
passes  through  the  most  crowded  part.^  of  our  streets,  eluding  the  pas- 
Bongers  with  the  quickness  of  thought;  or  plays  among  the  clouds, 
gliding  about  at  a  vast  height,  like  an  aerial  bein<r.  Hig  „g„al  note 
pem,peuo,  peuo,  is  loud  and  musinal;  but  is  frequently  succeeded  by 
others  inore  low  and  guttural.  Soon  after  the  20th  of  Auc^ust.  he 
Jo.aves  Pennsylvania  (or  the  south.  " 

This  bird  has  been  described,  three  or  four  diffl-ront  times,  by  Ku- 
j-opoan  writers,  as  so  many  different  species,  — 1,|„.  Ciinadian  Swallow 
ot  lurton,  and  the  Great  American  Martin  of  Edwards,  bein<r  evi- 
dently the  female  of  the  present  species.  The  Violet  Swallow  of  the 
termer  author,  said  to  inhabit  Louisiana,  dif!'crs  in  no  respect  from  the 
present.  Deceived  bv  the  appearance  of  the  flight  of  this  bird,  and  its 
Bimilarity  to  that  of  the  Swift  of  Europe,  strangers  from  that  country 
have  also  asserted  that  the  Swift  is  common  to  North  America  and 
the  United  States.  No  such  bird,  however,  inhabits  any  part  of  this 
continent  that  I  have  as  yet  visited. 

The  Purple  Martin  is  eight  inches  in  length,  and  sixteen  inches  in 
extent;  except  the  lores,  which  are  black,  and  the  wings  and  tail,  which 
are  of  a  brownish  black,  he  is  of  a  rich  and  deep  purplish  blue,  with 
Btrong  violet  reflections ;  the  bill  is  strong,  the  gap  verv  large ;  the 
legs  also  short,  stout,  and  of  a  dark,  dirty  purple ;  the  tail  consists  of 
twelve  featliers,  is  considerably  forked,  and  edged  with  purple  blue  • 
the  eye  full  and  dark. 

The  female  measures  nearly  as  large  as  the  male ;  the  upper  parts 
are  blackish  brown,  with  blue  and  violet  reflections  thinly  scattered  ; 
ohm  and  breast,  grayish  brown ;  sides  under  the  wings,  darker ;  belly 
and  vent,  whitish,  not  pure,  with  stains  of  dusky  and  yellow  ochre ; 
wings  and  tail,  blackish  brown. 


L 


.  if' 


370 


CONNECTICUT  WARBLER. 


CONNK(^,T[CUT  WARULER.— SYLVIA   AGILIS— Fio.  109. 

SVLVICOM  AOIUa.  —  Si.tLDxnm.'* 
S^rlvia  ngilis,  Borwp.  Synop.  p.  84 ;  Nomenclature,  p,  I6.'>. 

Thib  is  a  new  species,  first  discovered  in  the  state  of  Connecticut, 
and  twice  since  met  with  in  the  noighborluKxl  of  Philiidolphin.  Ah  to 
its  notes  or  nest,  I  (im  altogether  unacquainted  witli  tlieui.  The  differ- 
ent spociinons  I  have  shot  corrospondcd  very  nearly  in  their  markings ; 
two  of  these  were  males,  and  the  other  undetermined,  but  conjectured 
also  to  be  a  male.  It  was  found  in  every  case  among  low  thickets, 
but  seemed  inoro  than  commonly  active,  not  remaining  for  a  moment 
in  the  same  position.  In  some  of  my  future  rambles  I  may  learn  more 
of  this  solitary  species. 

Length,  five  inches  and  throe  quarters  ;  extent,  eight  inches;  whole 
upper  parts,  a  rich  yellow  olive;  wings,  dusky  brown,  edged  with 
olive;  throat,  dirty  white,  or  pale  ash;  upper  part  of  the  breast,  dull 
greenish  yellow;  rest  of  the  lower  pnrts,  a  pure  rich  yellnw;  legs, 
long,  slender,  and  of  a  pale  flesh  color;  round  the  eye,  a  narrow  ring 
of  yellowish  white;  upper  mandible,  pale  brown;  lower,  whitish ;  eye, 
dark  hazel. 

Since  writing  the  above,  I  have  shot  two  specimens  of  a  bird,  which 
in  every  particular  agrees  with  tlie  above,  except  in  having  the  tliroat 
of  a  dull  buflf  color,  instead  of  pale  ash;  botii  of  those  were  females; 
and  I  have  little  doubt  but  they  are  of  the  same  species  with  the  pres- 
ent, as  their  peculiar  activity  seemed  exactly  similar  to  the  males 
above  described. 

These  birds  do  not  breed  in  the  lower  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  though 
they  probably  may  be  found  in  summer  in  the  Alpine  swamps  and 
northern  regions,  in  company  with  a  numerous  class  of  the  same  tribe 
tjiat  breed  in  these  unfrequented  solitudes. 


*  Accortliuff  to  Bonaparte,  this  is  a  new  species   liscovered  by  Wilson, 
paratively  little  is  known  regarding  it   —  Eo. 


Com- 


NIOHT  HAWK. 


971 


ilsoii.    Com- 


NIGHT  HAWK.-CAPRIMULOUS  AMERICANUS.-F.o  170 
Male;   Fio.  171,  F.malk.  ' 

male ;  7724,  female.  '  ^^^' 

OAPRtMULQVS  JtMKR/CJUVVS7-W,uo„.* 

ica,  jirouuoiy  on  account  of  its  appearance  when  on  wing 


the 
The 


prosi!!;oS;he"C,?  Z^T  three  fPocies  or  U.is  curious  ge-uH,-      „ 

run.  throu^fh  the  ,-«  p  w|   ^ZLhTri      R'T"'''''''  "'"V'"'"-^  "f  marking  which 

fore,  olai-n'tho  r-t^me^iro^ LTrW  tth^uSt'^hL"'''^  "VT  "'«^=  '^T' 
unccrtninty  regarding  the  (lescriiZ.  s  n  .^Jv  *  'hem,  although  he  romanicd  ii. 
appears  to  have  described  this  T,«.r  1        ,«3"'  ;">ms  of  other  authors.      Vieillot 

wXtan<ling,I  ra.  noUiS.  ferrCd-^!;'''  ""  ZT  "'^  ^'-  PT'"' '  t*"'-  "o'' 
conHned  to  the  New  Worfi'  ^       '  S'^""  ''^  ^^'''"'"'  Particularly  as  it  seem. 

Am.rica„n.  has  more  of  t1^  rrunX  c  look  ,haY  lo  n"'''^  tlje  expression  the  C. 
k  harder,  th(,  ends  of  the  aul  s  ar  "m  r?.  W„-  ..  ""'".r.-   J''e  whole  plumage 

wants  the  itrong  array  ofllsIesXh  2  '*'■'/*'''  ""'  ".''7'"''''  «"''  '''«  f'^tus 
most  perfect  for*;,,  oflviS-  We  IVhrtnark  '/lut  '-T""?'^  '"  i''*' 
there  arc  exreption.s,)  that  we  have  TeLrnlU  „i  '^'""T.'  (a'lhoughwo  know  that 
forked.  nnd,cinsec,,,Vmtlv.  wiu/rgre^^rS:S"orl'fl^  those  having  the  tail 
that  the  plumage  !=*  .nok>  rigid,  am  .tflXoccaXmL'S 
out,  also,  ni  our  present  snccios  whirli  nl^„ '„?.•■  ^  dmi.iul.  This  is  borne 
place,  even  durii  -  the  dav  -'  n'..d  „  fi' "^  '^''"i"  '"  *"  ''"'  ~^er  the  breeding- 
w^.fW.«.^elockii,£":-^--^^^ 

point,  and  "nco'nnectecl ,  th^ail  r,  n  fed  and  th^r. ',Tn''  T"*-  '"  ■"  '*'*'"''" 
with  very  powerful  bristles.    Their  ™s  of  lli^^,  'i'"'"^''  T  '"T"'  instances, 

gloomy  lig'ht.  They  appear  onlTm  t^K  r^o  in  "dS.^t^"^  '  J-""" 
or  brake,  or  s  tl  ne     ii  their  own  r.„,„i;r.      "  l'""'"«  """ng  tne  i.,.v  nr.iong  furze 

amidsttl,;rlearo   'gl   .   hevir^lC  n^^  ""   "  ^''T-^'  ^"'  ''"  i""'""^" 

rived.     To  these  last  will  bolo,^  Til  '    "'"'?.'•'"»  ,^'"e"  iheir  own  day  Jias  ar- 

tail,  in  compnri'o  ofT  manner  tvih^ThT  ^^r'''"  "":;''  "*'  '^"^"'"'' '  "'"•  "  '^e- 
somo  i<lca  o'f  ,ho  truly  nocrrnalpeiXhVrr.' ""''"''  '"?'''  "'''^^'  '"  ?'^'»f 
country  and  circumsiances  w  H  aK  'Sv  are  .h  ,"  ?n'  "?  '^"i'''  ^''''^''°"  "^ 
described  by  a  poet  whom  Wilson  won'ld  have  admiS:'l  "  ^'"^  '"'"''  '"=*="'^"-''^ 

In^noi/T'"??  "."''■"'"?  ''r""'-h  .voiir  dirnst  foo. 
n^not.  o    niKht,  ,t,  whirrir..-  note  proloni;-  ' 

I  lion,  with  oxpui.lo,!  l».Mk,  ,u„l  thro.t  nnlar'-t-d 
I  ursuf'9  voriicious. 


H-ro 


MGllT  HAWK. 


very  much  resembling  some  of  our  snrtall  Hawks,  and  from  its  habit  of 
flying  chiefly  in  the  evening.  Though  it  is  a  bird  universally  known 
in  tlfe  United  States,  and  inhabits  North  America,  in  summer,  from 

light,  when  Ihey  are  first  roused  from  their  daily  slumber,  they  perch  on  some  haro 
elevation  of  the  ground,  an  old  wail  or  fence,  or  heap  of  stones,  in  a  moss  rounly 
on  a  peat  stack,  and  commence  their  monotonous  drum,  or  whirr,  closely  resembling 
the  dull  sound  produced  by  a  spinning-wheel,  and  possessing  the  same  variation  ol 
apparent  distance  in  the  soimd,  a  modification  of  ventriloquism,  which  is  perceived 
in  tlie  croak  of  the  Land  Rail,  or  the  cry  of  the  Coot  and  Water  Rail,  or  cionkiftg 
of  frogs ;  at  one  time,  it  is  so  near  as  to  cause  an  alarm  that  you  will  disturb  the  ut- 
(erer ;  at  another,  as  if  the  bird  had  removed  to  the  extreme  limit  of  the  listener's 
organs,  while  ii  remained  unseen  at  a  distance  of  perhaps  not  more  than  forty  or  fifty 
yards.  At  the  commencement,  this  drumming  sound  seems  to  be  continued  for  about 
ten  or  fii\een  minutes,  and  occasionally  during  the  night  in  the  intervals  of  relaxation  ; 
it  is  only,  however,  when  perched  that  it  is  uttered,  and  never  for  so  great  a  length 
of  time  as  at  the  first.  Their  flight  is  never  high,  and  is  performed  without  any  reg- 
ularity ;  sometimes  straight  forward  and  in  gliding  circles,  with  a  slow,  steady  clap 
of  the  wings,  in  the  middle  of  which  they  will  abruptly  start  into  the  air  (or  thirty 
or  forty  feet,  resuming  their  former  line  by  a  gradual  fall ;  at  other  times  it  will  bo 
performed  in  sudden  jerks  upwards,  in  the  fall  keeping  the  wings  steady  and  closc(t 
over  the  back,  skimming  in  the  intervals  near  the  ground,  and  still  retaining  the 
wings  like  some  Gulls  or  Terns,  or  a  Swallow  dipping  in  the  water,  initil  they  are 
again  required  to  give  the  stroke  upwards ;  all  the  while  the  tail  is  much  expanded, 
and  is  a  conspicuous  object  in  the  •  lale,  from  the  white  spots  on  the  outer  feathers. 
When  in  woods,  or  hawking  i  .  trees,  the  flight  is  made  in  glides  among  the 
branches,  or  it  flutters  close  to  ttie  summits,  and  seizes  the  various  Pliala-nw  -vhich 
play  around  them.  I  once  observed  three  or  four  of  these  birds  hawking  in  this 
manner,  on  the  confines  of  a  spruce  fir  plantation,  and  af\er  various  evolutions,  they 
balanced  themselves  for  a  few  seconds  on  the  very  summit  of  the  leading  shoots. 
This  was  frequently  repeated  while  I  looked  on.  During  the  whole  of  their  flight, 
a  short  snap  of  the  "bill  is  heard,  and  a  sort  o(  click,  click,  with  the  distinct  sounder 
the  monosyllable  whip,  or,  to  convcv  the  idea  better,  the  sound  of  a  whip  suddenly- 
lashed  without  cracking.  The  female,  when  disturbed  from  her  nest,  flits  or  skims 
along  the  surface  for  a  short  distance  ;  but  I  have  never  seen  the  young  or  eggs  re 
moved  in  tl.3  manner  related  of  the  American  species,  even  after  frequent  aimoyanct 
When  the  young  are  approached  at  night,  before  they  are  perfectly  fledged,  the  ok 
birds  fly  in  circles  rouncf,  approach  very  near,  utter  incessantly  their  clicking  cry, 
and  make  frequent  dashes  at  the  intruder,  like  a  Lapwing. 

Among  the  Night  Hawks,  taking  the  form  as  understood  to  rank  under  Capn- 
imilgus  of  LinniEUS,  we  liave  a  close  resemblance  of  general  form  and  characters, 
tnough  there  are  one  or  two  modifications  which  fulW  entitle  the  species  to  separa- 
tion, and  which  work  beautifully  in  the  system  of  affinities  or  gradual  development 
of  form.*  From  these  circumstances,  Mr.  Swainson  has  formed  a  new  genus  from 
our  present  species.  .,„.,„,         ,  •  ■ 

In  color,  the  whole  of  Caprimulirm  is  very  closely  allied  ;  "  dresl,  but  with  na- 
ture's tenderest  pencil  touched."  in  various  shades  of  brown,  white,  and  russet;  the 
delicate  blending  of  the  markings  produce  an  effect  always  pleasing — often  moie 
so  than  in  those  which  can  boast  of  a  more  gorgeous  apparel. 

There  is  another  structure  in  this  bird,  which  has  given  rise  to  much  conjeeture 
among  naturalists,  particularly  those  whose  opportunities  of  observation  have  been 
comparatively  limited,  and  has  been  looked  upon  as  a  peculiarity  existing  in  this 
genus  only,  — I  allude  to  the  serrature  of  the  centre  claw.    This  structure  we  also 

*  fii  Bome  the  mouth  is  furnished  with  very  strong  bristles,  and  in  others  it  Is  entirely  des- 
tituto  of  thur.i,  as  mny  be  ceon  in  the  species  of  North  America.  Again,  the  tail  is  square, 
round,  or  forked,  sometimes  to  an  extriiordinnry  extent,  lis  in  the  C.  psiilurm,  of  Azarn, 
and  in  C.  acufus  the  shafts  of  the  feathers  project  beyond  the  webs,  and  remind  ns  of  the 
genus  Chaslura.  Fn  some  th<^  tarsus  is  extrimoly  short  nnd  weak,  and  covered  with  plumei 
to  the  very  toes,  in  others  Ion?  and  naked.  Tlin  wings  are  rounded  or  sharp-pointed  ;  ond 
in  the  Sierra  Goatsucker  we  have  the  shaft  of  oni^  of  the  secondaries  running  out  to  the 
length  of  twenty  inches,  with  the  web  much  expanded  at  the  extremity,  and  presenthig,  no 
douDt,  during  Sight,  a  most  unique  apprafane?,  —  Ed. 


NIGHT  HAWK. 


373 


K'~The  £sf  n^T"''-^''^"^^  '''!  Whip-poor-will,  and  tlie  n"S 
MarvtnH     thi    L     9^^^  '^  ^""^"^'^  t«  tJ^o^e  States  lying  aouth  of 

On  the  last  week  in  April,  the  Night  Hawk  commonly  makes  ite 

In^^hS  of  S^Ai,  "I  ^^^  sea-shore  to  the  mountains,  even  to  the 
Jnights  o    the  Alleghany;  and  are  seen,  towards  evening   in  mir. 

corner  of  a  cornfield.    The  eggs  are  placed  oS  the  ba  e  ground^n 
a]  cases  on  a  dry  situation,  where  the  color  of  the  leavef  Zun? 
atones,  or  other  circumjacent  parts  of  the  surface,  may  resemWeSie 
general  tint  of  the  eggs,  and  thereby  render  them  leTeasy  to  be  dis 
covered     The  eggs  are  most  commonly  two,  raUier  oSg   enuallv 
bio'^nnlLf  ends,  of  a  dirty  bluish  whit^,  and'marked  wiKnuS 
thfs  Zt  fh.     "^7^  «l've  brown.    To  the  immediate  neighborhood  of 
this  spot  the  male  and  female  confine  themselves,  roosting  on  the 
h.cTh  trees  adjoining  during  the  greater  part  of  the  dayrse  dom  how 
ever  together,  and  almost  always  on  separate  trees. ^' They  also  ^t 
lengthwise  on  the  branch,  fence,  or  limb,  on  which  ther/oost  and 
never  across     ike  most  other  birds:  this  seems  occasSned  by  t  e 
shortness  and  slender  form  of  their  legs  and  feet,  which  are  not  at  iUl 
calculated  to  grasp  the  branch  with  sulcient  firmness  to  bZce Ue" 

perso»s  have  been  willing  ,o  afflict  th.-  .p^.-Cs  wi  , Tmot  .h.n  .^^    *™'"  '^^' 
nons,  could  not  be  in  an/way  applied.  V"finT!t  l^nT,!  e  X^^  Z U7aZ" 

riety  of  forms  amon?  which  we  find  it  will  bear  .hi?  nm  •  if  fh  ^  ^''7.^?- 

as 


374 


NIGHT  HAWK. 


As  soon  as  incubation  commences,  the  male  keeps  a  most  yigilaat 
wateh  aro uS  He  is  then  more  frequently  seen  pk;  ing  abou  m  the 
^r^verSe  p  ac"  even  during  the  day,  mounting  Ly  several  quick 
Sra\?onsot- the  wings,  then  a  few  slower,  uttcrmg  all  Uie  while  a 
Iharnlnrsh  squeak,  till,  having  gained  the  highest  point,  he  suddenly 
nrSitS  iSclf,  head  foremost,  and  with  great  rapidity,  down 
SvCShty  feet,  wheeling  up  again  as  su  at  which  instan 

is  1  eard  afoud  booming  sound.  Very  much  resembhng  that  produced 
by  blowinnrongly  into  the  bunghole  of  an  empty  hogshead ;  and 
which  ildoubtless  produced  by  the  sudden  expansion  of  his  capacious 
mo  'th  wS  he  passes  through  Uie  air,  as  exhibited  m  the  figure  on 
the  Plate  He  a  Jain  mounts  ly  alternate  quick  and  leisurely  motions 
of  the  wings,  pfaying  about  as  he  ascends,  uttering  his  usual  hoarse 
'oueak  tnif  in  a  few  minutes,  he  again  dives  with  the  same  impetu- 
osSv  and  V  olent  sound  as  before.  Some  are  of  opinion  that  this  is 
done  to  hJmidaTe  man  or  beast  from  approaching  his  nest;  and  he  ,s 
ScvdSobse^^^^  diVings  most  frequently  around 

ffse  iho  come  near  the  s'pot,  sweeping  down  Pf  *«-',™^™^« 
so  near  and  so  suddenly,  as  to  startle  and  alarm  them.    The  same  in- 
LS  iriiowever,  otten  seen  performing  these  manoeuvres  over  the 
riVer  the  1  itthe  meadow,  and  the  marsh,  in  the  space  of  a  quarter 
of  an  houn  and  also  towards  the  fall,  when  he  ha^  no  nest.    This  sin- 
milar  habit  belon-s  peculiarly  to  the  male.     The  femae  has  indeed, 
tlitcomtn  to  Le,  ai.d'much  the  same  mode  of  flight ;  but  nev- 
er nrecipitates  herself  in  the  manner  of  tlie  male.    During  the  time 
!L^iffi  tW  she  will  suffer  you  to  approach  within  a  foot  or  two  be- 
te she  Smpts  to   tir,  and,  when  she  does,  it  is  in  such  a  fluttering 
tSincr  manner,  and  with  such  appearance  of  a  lame  and  wounded 
mS   as'nTne  time,  in  ten  to  deceive  the  person,  and  induce  him  to 
numie  her     This  "  pious  fraud,"  as  the  poet  Thomson  calls  it  is  kept 
Sp  until  the  person  is  sufficiently  removed  from  the  nest,  when  she 
hSmediately  mounts  and  disappears.  When  tl..  young  are  first  hatched, 
Ms  Scult  to  distinguish   tliem  from  the  surface  of  the   ground, 
hefr  Snbeing  of  a  pale  brownish  color,  and  they  are  altogether 
Stu^of  the  commoS  shape  of  birds,  sitting  so  fixed  and  so  squat 
as  to  be  easily  mistaken  for  a  slight  prominent  mouldiness  lying  on 
Se  grounS   1  cannot  say  whether  they  have  two  broods  m  the  sea- 
son -I  rather  coniecture  that  they  have  generally  but  one. 

The  NiltVwk  is  a  bird  of  strong  and  vigorous  flight,  and  of 
Urte  volume  of  wing.  It  often  visit,  tlie  city,  dartmg  and  sque.K  ig 
over  the  ^TreeS  at  a%^eat  height,  diving  perpendicularly  with  the 
slme  holloTsound  asSefore  described.  I  have  also  seen  them  sit- 
ting on  cMmney-tops  in  some  of  the  met  busy  parts  of  the  city,  o.- 

^1;£^^StTl^™"  t^t  .ot  and  gloomy,  the  Night 
Hawks  are  seen  abroad  at  all  times  of  the  day  generally  ut  a  consid- 
Prable  height-  their  favorite  time, however,  is  from  two  hours  before 
sit  until  dusk  At  such  times  tliey  seem  all  vivacity  darting 
about  in  Uie  air  in  every  direction,  making  frequent  short  sudden 
Sna?  lis  if  busilv  en=mged  in  catching  insects.  Even  in  the  hot- 
Sir  Srest  weaE  they  arc  uccusionally  seen  abroad,  squeaking  at 
test,  clearest  %vea,uu.r,uiey  iii^  «  j.  j  aitfm"  "Inntr  tbfi  fences, 
short  intervals.    They  arc  alao  otien  touna  »mmg,  -i^--,  — 


NIGHT  HAWK. 


375 


basking  themselves  in  the  tun.  Near  the  sea-shore,  in  the  vici  'ity  of 
extensive  salt  marshes,  the/  are  likewise  very  numerous,  ski,  timing 
over  the  meadows,  in  the  manner  of  Swallows,  until  it  is  so  daik  that 
the  eye  can  no  longer  follow  them. 

When  wounded  and  taken,  they  attempt  to  intimidate  you  by  open- 
ing tlieir  mouth  to  its  utmost  stretch,  throwing  the  head  forward,  and 
uttering  a  kind  of  guttural  whizzing  sound,  striking  also  violently 
with  their  wings,  which  seem  to  be  their  only  offensive  weapons  ;  for 
they  never  attempt  to  strike  with  the  bill  or  claws. 

About  the  middle  of  August,  they  begin  to  move  oft"  towards  the 
south ;  at  which  season  they  may  be  seen  almost  every  evening,  from 
five  o'clock  until  after  sunset,  passing  alonjr  the  Schuylkill  and  the 
adjacent  shores,  in  Avidely-scattered  multitudes,  all  steering  towards 
the  south.  I  have  counted  several  hundreds  within  sight  at  the  same 
time,  dispersed  through  the  air,  and  darting  after  insects  as  they  ad- 
vanced. These  occasional  processions  continue  for  two  or  three 
weeks;  none  are  seen  travelling  in  the  opposite  direction.  Some- 
times they  are  accompanied  by  at  least  twice  as  many  Barn  Swallows, 
some  Chimney  Swallows  and  Purple  Martins.  They  are  also  most 
numerous  immediately  preceding  a  northeast  storm.  At  this  time  also 
tliey  abound  in  the  extensive  meadows  on  the  Schuylkill  and  Dela- 
ware, where  I  have  counted  fifteen  skimming  over  a  single  field  in  an 
evening.  On  shooting  some  of  these,  on  tlie  14th  of  August,  their 
stomachs  were  almost  exclusively  filled  with  crickets.  From  one  of 
them  I  took  nearly  a  common  snuff-box  full  of  these  insects,  all  seem- 
ingly fresh  swallowed. 

By  the  middle  or  20th  of  September,  very  few  of  these  birds  are  to 
be  seen  in  Pennsylvania :  how  far  south  they  go,  or  at  what  particu- 
lar time  they  pass  the  southern  boundaries  of  the  United  States,  1  am 
unable  to  say.    None  of  them  winter  in  Georgia. 

The  ridiculous  name  Goatsucker,  —  which  was  first  bestowed  on 
the  European  species,  from  a  foolish  notion  that  it  sucked  the  teats  of 
the  goats,  because,  probably,  it  inhabited  the  solitary  heights  where 
they  fed,  which  nickname  has  been  since  applied  to  the  whole  geniis, 
—  I  have  thought  proper  to  omit  There  is  something  worse  than  ab- 
surd in  continuing  to  brand  a  whole  family  of  birds  with  a  knavish 
name,  after  they  are  universally  known  to  be  innocent  of  the  charge. 
It  is  not  only  unjust,  but  tends  to  encourage  the  belief  in  an  idle  fa- 
ble that  is  totally  destitute  of  all  foundation. 

The  Night  Hawk  is  nine  inches  and  a  half  in  length,  and  twenty- 
three  inches  in  extent ;  the  upper  parts  are  of  a  very  deep  blackish 
brown,  unmixed  on  the  primaries,  but  tliickly  sprinkled  or  powdered 
on  the  back  scapulars  and  head  with  innumerable  minute  spots  and 
streaks  of  a  pale  cream  color,  interspersed  with  specks  of  reddish; 
the  scapulars  are  barred  with  the  same,  also  the  tail-coverts  and  tail, 
the  inner  edges  of  which  are  barred  with  white  and  deep  brownish 
black  for  an  inch  and  a  half  from  the  tip,  where  they  are  crossed 
broadly  with  a  band  of  white,  the  two  middle  ones  excepted,  which 
are  plain  deep  brown,  barred  and  sprinkled  with  light  clay  ;  a  spot  of 
pure  white  extendi-  over  tlie  five  first  primaries,  the  outer  edge  of  the 
exterior  feather  excepted,  and  about  the  middle  of  tlie  wing;  a  trian- 
gular spot  of  white  also  majks  the  throat,  bending  up  on  each  side  of 


876 


WHIP-POOR-WILL. 


the  neck  •  the  bill  is  exceedingly  small,  scarcely  one-eighth  of  an  inch 
U^leSlS  of  a  black  color;  the  nostril,  circular,  and  ^}^r.onnAed 
with  f  nrominent  rim;  eye,  large  and  full,  o.^  a  deep  bluish  black; 
fieis^are  5  feathered  a  little  below  the  knees,  and,  as  well  as 
Se  to?s   of  a  purplish  flesh  color,  seamed  with  white;  the  middle 
daw  is  Pectinated  on  its  inner  edge,  to  serve  as  a  comb  to  clear  the 
birfof  verm  n ;  the  whole  lower  parts  of  the  body  are  marked  with 
SSsveriLa'  of  dusky  nnd  yellowish.    The  U  is  Bomewha  short- 
er than  the  wings  when  shut,  is  handsomely  forked,  and  consists  oi 
ten  broad  feathfrs;  the  mouth  is  extremely  large    and  of  a  j^^^^^^^^^^ 
flesh  color  within;  there  are  no  bristles  about  the Jj^l' the  tongue  is 
very  small,  and  attached  to  the  inner  surface  «f  *«, '"""J"  ,,-„t„  ^^^ 
Tlie  female  measures  about  nine  inches  in  length,  and  twenty  two 
in  beadthrdiSSs  in  having  no  white  band  ^0^  the  tail,  but  has    he 
soot  of  white  on  the  wing,  wants  the  triangular  spot  o    white  on    he 
Xoat  instead  of  which  there  is  a  dully-defined  mark  of  a  reddish 
c  ean^  cS    the  wings  are  nearly  black,  all  the  quills  being  slight  y 
tinned  ^^  h  ^hite;    he^ail  is  as  in  the  male,  and  minutely  tipped  with 
Xe  ;  aSVeTapulars,  and  whole  upper  parts,  are  powdered  with  a 

""Serf  islSription  of  the  present  species  in  Turton's  transla- 
tion of  Lhin^us-  The  characters  of  the  genus  given  in  the  same 
work  are  a"so  in  this  case  incorrect,  viz.  "mouth  furnished  with  a  se- 
ries of  brSes  ;  tail  not  forked," -the  Night  Hawk  having  nothing 
of  the  former,  and  its  tail  being  largely  forked. 


WHIP-P00IUWILL.-CAPR1MULGUS  VOCIFERUS.-Fio.  172, 
Male;  Fig.  173,  Female. 

Peale'.i  Museum,  No.  7721 ,  male  ;  7722,  female. 
CAPRIMULOUS    VOCIFEROS.  -  Wilson. 

^xrerrtT  :ft:%it:d  Kb  zz\z^S^ 

EatrifecSrspringTandy^^  \^-^-  ^lo.  known, 

mLt  Sole  bein-r  unable  to  distinguish  this  from  the  preceding  spe- 
Sef  when  bS  a"re  placed  before  Siem  ;  and  some  insisting  that  they 
ale  the  same.  This  being  the  case,  it  becomes  the  duty  ot  his  lusto- 
Tn  to  ^wT;  full  and  faithful  delineation  of  his  character  and  pecu- 
lSr"tv  S  manners,  that  his  existence  as  a  distinct  and  independent 
ISs  ma^  no  lon-rer  be  doubted,  nor  his  story  mmgled  confusedly 
wTththaT  of  another.  I  trust  that  tho.e  best  acquainted  with  him 
will  bear  witness  to  the  fidelity  of  the  portrait 
Onor  about  the  25t    of  April,  if  the  season  be  not  uncommonly 


of  an  inch 
Burrounded 
lish  black; 
as  well  as 
he  middle 
)  clear  the 
irked  with 
what  short- 
consists  of 
'  a  reddish 
s  tongue  is 

twenty-two 
ut  has  the 
lite  on  the 
F  a  reddish 
ng  slightly 
tipped  with 
ierod  with  a 

n's  transla- 
n  the  same 
1  with  a  Be- 
ing nothing 


—  Fig.  172, 


336.  — Whip- 

•rsally  noted 
(iterations  of 
little  known, 
eceding  spe- 
ing  that  they 
of  his  histo- 
>r  and  pecu- 
independcnt 
d  confusedly 
,ed  with  him 

uncommonly 


WHIP-POOR-WILL. 


377 


cold,  the  Whip-poor-will  is  first  heard  in  this  part  of  Pennsvlvanin.  in 
w/hplr  fho     f    '  .u  ^^°"' »'•  mountain  ;   in  a  few  evenings,  perhaos 

surprising.  Strangers,  in  parts  of  the  country  where  Sese  hir^TlZ 
numerous,  find  it  almost  impossible  for  som7tire  to  s£  wwl  !„ 
t^a^sftSrpr  ^^*^''^"^'  ^'^  -"^  ofteTstt^^'atuK; 

bles  being  uttered  with  great^mfhLis,  3  ^e  whoL  in'fbo^^^^^ 
11  Kdcn  were  straining  to  overpower  or  s  lencp  fhp  nfht>r      mt-u 

a  creek  near   with  higli  precipitous  bushy  banMXv  are  su  e  to  t 
ground,  where  they  repose  in  silence.    When  disturhp      thl    -^ 

aad  fro™  being  thXSy  »ee7i„°7heTbt„tv  nfll**^' 

3  Stf  ".^  ^°'  this  purpose  the  most  unfrequented  part  of  ^h- 
^ood,  often  wnug^some  Drush,  old  logs,  heaps  of  leaves,  &c.  had  been 


I  1 


s  • 


.', 


,  I 


i 


378 


WHIP-POOR-WILL. 


Ivine,  and  always  on  a  dry  situation.  The  eggs  are  depoeited  on  the 
ffround,  or  on  the  leaves,  not  the  slightest  appearance  ot  a  nest  being 
visible  These  are  usually  two  in  number,  in  shape  much  resembling 
those  of  the  Night  Hawk,  but  having  the  ground  color  much  darker, 
and  more  thickly  marbled  with  dark  olive.    The  precise  period  of 

incubation,  I  am  unable  to  say.  , , 

In  traversin<'  the  woods  one  day  in  the  early  part  of  June,  along  the 
brow  of  a  rocky  declivity,  a  Whip-poor-will  rose  from  my  feet,  and 
fluttered  along,  sometimes  prostrating  herself,  and  beating  the  ground 
with  her  wings,  as  if  just  expiring.  Aware  ot  her  purpose,  1  stood 
still  and  be<ran  to  examine  the  space  immediately  around  me  tor  the 
essn  or  young,  one  or  other  of  wliich  1  was  certain  must  be  near. 
After  a  long  search,  to  my  mortification,  I  could  find  neither;  and  wm 
iust  going  to  abandon  the  spot,  when  I  perceived  somewhat  like  a 
sliffht  mouldiness  among  the  withered  leaves,  and,  on  stooping  down, 
discovered  it  to  be  a  young  Whip-poor-will,  seemingly  asleep,  as  its 
eyelids  were  nearly  closed ;  or  perhaps  Uiis  might  only  be  to  protect 
its  tender  eyes  from  tiie  glare  of  day.  I  sat  down  by  it  on  the  leaves, 
and  drew  it  aa  it  then  appeared.  It  was  probably  not  a  week  old. 
All  the  while  I  was  thus  engaged,  it  neither  moved  its  body,  nor 
opened  its  eyes  more  than  half:  and  I  left  it  os  I  found  it  After  1 
had  walkerl  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  spot,  recollecting  that  1 
had  left  a  pencil  behind,  I  returned  and  found  my  pencil,  but  the 

young  bird  was  gone.  r  tu         i« 

Early  in  June,  as  soon  as  the  young  appear,  the  notes  ot  the  male 
usually  cease,  or  are  heard  but  rarely.  Towards  the  latter  part  ot 
summer,  a  short  time  before  these  birds  leave  us,  they  are  again  occa- 
sionally heard ;  but  their  call  is  then  not  so  loud  —  much  less  em- 
phatical,  and  more  interrupted  than  in  spring.  Early  in  September 
they  move  off  towards  the  south.  ,  .  .     ,       ■. 

The  favorite  places  of  resort  for  these  birds  are  on  high,  dry  situa- 
tions :  in  low,  marshy  tracts  of  country,  they  are  seldom  heard.  It  is 
probably  on  this  account  that  they  are  scarce  on  the  sea-coast  and  its 
immediate  neighborhood  ;  while  towards  the  mountains  they  arc  very 
numerous.  The  Night  Hawlcs,  on  the  contrary,  dnhght  in  these 
extensive  sea  marshes :  and  are  much  more  numerous  there  than  in 
the  interior  and  higher  parts  of  tlie  country.  But  no  where  m  the 
United  States  have  I  found  the  Whip-poor-will  in  such  numbers  as  in 
that  tract  of  country  in  the  state  of  Kentucky  called  the  Barrens. 
This  appears  to  bo  their  most  congoial  climate  and  place  ot  resi- 
dence.  There,  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  1st  of  June,  as  soon  as 
the  evening  twilight  draws  ,.ii,  tlie  slirill  and  confused  clamors  ot 
these  birds  are  incessant,  and  very  surprising  to  a  stranger.  Ihey 
soon,  however,  become  extremely  agreeable  ;  the  inhabitants  lie  down 
at  night  lulled  by  their  whistlings  ;  and  the  first  approach  ot  dawn  is 
announced  by  a  general  and  lively  chorus  of  the  same  music  ;  while 
the  full-toned  tootinfr,  as  it  is  called,  of  the  Pinnated  Grouse,  forms  a 
very  pleasing  bass  to  the  whole. 

I  shall  not,  in  the  manner  of  some,  attempt  to  amuse  the  reader  with 
a  repetition  of  the  unintelligible  names  given  to  tins  bird  by  the  Indi- 
ans, or  the  superstitious  notions  generally  entertained  ot  it  by  tne 
game  peopie.    ihusu  suwii  ao  variouo  an  miij  \r— j  -* ' 


as  ita 


Avmp-pooR-wri,L.  379 

ns  u  bird  with  whLh  the^  1  ^^  ^"'"  '"  '^  ""/'  "*"  «"«Pi^iou«  awe 
The  superstition  of  tiiormlinnL  ''"''^  ";'  V"'«  ^  ''°  ^  Po««ible 
erate  CJor™ "1^  H^hkn  5r  T,'-^''"^^  ^o™  that  of  an  illit- 
•mtion.     It  smr^esN  tS,7h^      ^  *''  °'"  ^^"^  ^""'^  informed  of  any  other 

trutlis,  seem  only  fit  to  be  fo  itfen^^  "^  '''"  '""'''  ™P''^''"* 

these  people Js  stran  J  Jd  nn,n  ,^^  ^'^t^^^r,  amonfj  either  of 

to  supLL  a  aSr  and  an  unZ^/f  ";"'^'t ''  "^"^^'^  '^""^"t^d 
(lent,  is  often  ominous  of  ^ood    ""f  P^-^ted  s.gh^  or  uncommon  inci- 

M.e  parties.  NS^to  mS  of  Sir''  ^^''^^'^  f-  ^"'^^  ^'^^""'^  ^ 
Icindred  horrors, IteapLTonsstr^L'"^  ^^'^^  it  ita 

this  solitary  and  inoESe  bird    b£^^  ''"l'  '"''^^'l  '^S^ts^  and 

hours  of  Thosts  and  hnvV^lu;       •'  ^'''".^/  troqunit  wanderer  in  these 

by  h.bi.  i"pXtri;ir„":*'^?iy„  *'  srr  '™#- 

however,  are  not  sn  rrPflnlm,^  .  r  u  "'     '^''  these  people, 

dartuiLr  after  winwd  inM,^pt«      'pT.„       -n  -^  '"^^  ^^^«  ^^V^^    « 

within  a  few  feeS  a  person  u  Si^^"  r'l'"??  ''^""  '"  ^he  dusk, 
pass.  In  their  migration!  nn^h  7^  '''  ""I"'  "^  '"'^  ^'"^"«'-  ^^  they 
stopadayortrSsomerrhpi''?'^  °"  *^'''"  '■°^"™'  ti.ey  probably 
in  one  cLin  ed  Ji^  ThJ'UTnTn '^'^^^^^  and  do  not  advance 
season  [ISUl  on  the  2d  d^,v  nf^r  ^'^  °''''^'"  "^^  *^™t  ^'^^^^^  this 
woods,  not  far  f™n  the  hout^  JJf^^\  '"  '  "T""'*  °^  ^^^  B^^^am's 
tlie  same  place  XreT  also  saw!  f""  ^f ''^!:''  '""^"^"^'^  ^^^'^  '» 
ning  of  September,  there  were  non;  nf  thT  ^'T-  ^'"^"  ""*i'  ^'''"^  ^^ffi"- 
at  least  one^nile  of  he  pkC  •  thnn^I  ?f  ^""^.i  *"  ''^  ^"""^  ^^^thin 
them.     On  the  4th  of  Spntn:.hi  ^u  ^  ^^j;1»«ntly  made  search  for 

heard  for  two  ever^Tnc.sUSsldvttr'^'P^^^^^^  ''''  'S^^ 
I  also  heard  several  ol"  'tS  mlfni'  wi/h  .If""'  P"'^  "^  *'^«  ^"^-J^- 
dusk  and  nine  o'clock  a  nShrkS.h"  \'"'  """'^  T^^'  ''«t^^««n 
repeated  their  notes  U.Vee  or  foi  J  tfS  ^n  1  '''^''  r'"i'^^^  ^hese 
is  highly  probable  that  thev  mi^r^tn^?  '      t  ''^'^  ''?^''*^  "°  '»°^'^-    I* 

The  Whip-poor-w  H  fs  nin?  nches  ?n^H  '\  7r7'"^  ""^V"8-'>^- 
inches  in  extent;  th.  biH  is  SlackTsh  a  S^ll  n^I  ^''"/'  ''"^  "l"''*««" 
much  stronger  than  that  of  tL  St  TT     1^"'"'^^''; ''^  ""  '"'^^^  '«"&. 
point,  the  under  mandibl  Iched  a  fini«       ■'^■'  f  "^  ?,'"^  =^  ""'^'  '^t  the 
ture  of  the  upper    ZnJS        ''ttle  upwards,  following  the  curva- 

ings  directeSXwaS  Se  moiUhT'"'^''  '"^  tubular,  their  open- 
flesh  color  within,  and  bnset  aloni  L'^^T'^'^I^J^  ^^'S^'  «*'  ^  Pale 
thick,  elastic  bris  les  the TonVpirj-  Z  u*^^'  '''^''  '"^  ""'"^«^  «f  I«ng. 
inch  beyond  the  pS  of  ftilf  end t'fi  T"*^'  'T^  ^'^"  '^'^^f  «° 
these  seem  to  serve  2  feeC  ^n^  "^  ^''''i:'  '^"^  ^'""^^  ^"^^"da; 
insects  ;  the  eyes  are  v^rv  S  f,u  TT^f  •  ?t,^^?^P«  «^'  ^^inged 
above  is  so  variegated  Sihlf.^  n  i'  ""^  '''"'l^  ^'^^^ '  the  plumage 
-n,^nHoji  3 J!i  4:|*.._*'  7.*"'  ''If '^'  P^^®  <"'^'^'"'  brown,  and  njst  colo- 
_, .d  a„.  powucrca  in  such  imnute  streaks  and  Spots',  aa  to  defy 


i:i 


.1 


1 


380 


WHIP-POOR-WILL. 


description ;  U>e  upper  part  of  the  head  is  of  a  light  brownish  fe/a^, 
marked  with  a  longitudinal  streak  of  black,  with  others  radiating  fiom 
it;  the  back  is  darker,  finely  streaked  witli  a  less  deep  black;  tha 
Bcapulars  are  very  light  whitish  ochre,  beautifully  variegated  with 
two  or  three  oblique  streaks  of  very  deep  black  ;  the  tail  is  rounded, 
consisting  of  ten  featliers,  tlie  exterior  one  an  inch  and  a  quarter 
shorter  tiian  the  middle  ones,  the  three  outer  feathers  oi\  each  side  are 
blackish  brown  for  half  their  length,  thence  pure  white  to  tlie  tips  ; 
the  exterior  one  is  edged  with  deep  brown  nearly  to  the  tip ;  the  deep 
brown  of  these  feaUiers  is  regularly  studded  with  light  brown  spots ; 
the  four  middle  ones  are  without  the  white  at  the  ends,  but  beautifully 
marked  witli  herring-bone  figures  of  black  and  light  ochre  finely 
powdered  ;  cheeks  and  sides  of  the  head,  of  a  brown  orange  or  burnt 
color ;  the  wings,  when  shut,  reach  scarcely  to  the  middle  of  the  tail, 
and  are  eleganUy  spotted  with  very  light  and  dark  brown,  but  are 
entirely  wiuiout  the  large  spot  of  white  which  distinguishes  those  of 
the  Night  Hawk ;  chin,  black,  streaked  with  brown  ;  a  narrow  semi- 
circle of  white  passes  across  the  throat ;  breast  and  belly,  irregularly 
mottled  and  streaked  with  black  and  yellow  ochre ;  the  legs  and  feet 
are  of  a  light  purplish  flesh  color,  seamed  with  white ;  the  former 
feathered  before,  nearly  to  the  feet ;  the  two  exterior  toes  are  joined 
to  the  middle  one,  as  far  as  the  first  joint,  by  a  broad  membrane  ;  the 
inner  edge  of  the  middle  claw  is  pectinated,  and,  from  the  circum- 
etance  of  its  being  frequently  found  with  small  portions  of  down 
adhering  to  tiie  teeth,  is  probably  employed  as  a  comb  to  rid  the 
plumage  of  its  head  cf  vermin ;  this  being  the  principal  and  almost 
only  part  so  infested  in  all  birds. 

The  female  is  about  an  inch  less  in  lengtti  and  in  extent ;  the  bill, 
mustaches,  nostrils,  &.c.,  as  in  the  male.  She  differs  in  being  much 
ligliter  on  the  upper  parts,  seeming  as  if  powdered  with  grains  of 
meal ;  and,  instead  of  tlie  white  on  the  tliree  lateral  tail-feathers,  has 
them  tipped  for  about  three  quarters  of  an  inch  with  a  cream  color ; 
the  bat  across  the  throat  is  also  of  a  brownish  ochre  ;  tlie  cheeks  and 
region  of  the  eyes  are  brighter  brownish  orange,  which  passes  also  to 
the  neck,  and  is  sprinkled  witli  black  and  specks  of  white ;  the  streak 
over  the  eye  is  also  lighter. 

The  young  was  altogether  covered  with  fine  down,  of  a  pale  brown 
color ;  the  shafts,  or  rather  sheaths,  of  the  quills,  bluish ;  the  point  of 
the  bill,  just  perceptible. 

Twenty  species  of  tliis  singular  genus  ire  now  known  to  naturalists ; 
of  these  one  only  belongs  to  Europe,  one  to  Africa,  one  to  New  Hol- 
land, two  to  India,  and  fifteen  to  America. 

The  present  species,  though  it  approaches  nearer  in  its  plumage  to 
that  of  Europe  than  any  other  of  the  tribe,  differs  from  it  in  being  en- 
tirely without  the  large  spot  of  white  on  the  wing,  and  in  being 
considerably  less.  Its  voice,  and  particular  cull,  are  also  entirely 
different 

Furtlier  to  illustrate  the  history  of  tliis  bird,  the  following  notes  are 
added,  made  at  the  time  of  dissection  :  —  Body,  when  stripped  of  th'i 
akin,  less  than  that  of  tlie  Wood  Thrush ;  breast-bone,  one  inch  in 
length ;  second  stomach,  strongly  muscular,  filled  with  fragments  of 
pismires  and  grasshoppers ;  skin  of  the  bird,  loose,  wrinkly,  and 


5*  t'  ,* 


WHIP-POOR-WILL. 


381 


Bcarcely  attached  to  Uio  flosi, ;  IIohI,,  nlso  loose,  oxtromoly  tender; 
bones,  thin  and  Hlondnr;  nincwH  and  inu.sclos  ot'lJio  winjr,  feeble-  dis- 
tance between  the  tips  of  both  inaiuliblos,  when  expanded,  full  two 
inches,  lenjrtli  of  the  oponinsf,  one  -noli  ard  a  half;  breadth,  one  inch 
and  a  (luarter ;  tongiu!,  very  short,  attached  to  the  Hkin  of  the  moutli 
Its  intornal  parts,  or  on  hmhlen,  pass  up  th.*  hind  head,  and  roach  to  the 
tront,  like  tliose  of  the  Woodpecker;  which  enable  the  bird  to  revert 
the  lower  part  of  the  mouth  in  the  act  of  seizing  insects,  and  in  call- 
ing ;  sku!l,_  extrernolv  light  and  thin,  being  semi-traiusparont,  if"  cavity 
nearly  liaH  occupied  by  the  eyes  ;  aperture  for  the  brain,  very  .small, 
the  quantity  not  exceeding  that  of  a  Sparrow  ;  an  Owl  of  tiie  same 
extent  ot  wmg  has  at  least  ten  times  as  much. 

Though  this  noted  bird  has  been  so  frequently  mentioned  by  name, 
and  Its  manners  taken  notice  of  by  almost  every  naturalist  who  has 
written  on  our  birds,  yet  personally  it  has  never  been  described  by 
any  writer  with  whose  works  I  am  acquainted.  Extraordinary  as  this 
may  seem,  it  is  nevertheless  true ;  and  in  proof  I  offer  the  following 

Three  species  only  of  this  genus  are  found  withmthe  United  States 
—  the  Chuck- will's- widow,  the  Night  Hawk,  and  the  Whip-poor-will. 
Catesby,  m  the  eighth  plate  of  his  JVatural  History  of  Carolina,  hm 
figured  the  first,  and,  in  the  sixt  -^nth  of  lii^  Jlpptndu,  tiie  second  ;  to 
this  he  has  added  particulars  of  the  Whip-poor-will,  believing  it  to 
be  that  bird,  and  has  ornamented  his  figure  of  the  Nio-ht  Hawk 
with  a  large  bearded  appendage,  of  which  in  nature  it  Ts  entirely 
destitute.  After  him,  Mr.  Edwards,  in  his  sixty-third  plate,  has  in  like 
mdiiiier  figured  the  Night  Hawk,  also  adding  the  bristles,  and  call- 
ing his  figure  the  Whip-poor-will,  accompanying  it  with  particulars 
ot  the  notes,  &c.,  of  that  bird,  chiefly  copiod  from  Catesby.  The  next 
writer  of  eminence  who  has  .spoken  of  the  Whip-poor-will,  is  Mr. 
Pennant,  justly  considered  as  one  of  the  most  judicious  and  discrim- 
mating  ot  English  naturalists;  but,  deceived  by  « the  lights  he  had " 
he  has,  m  his  account  of  tlie  Short-winged  Goatsucker,*  [Jlrd.  ZooL 
p.  4.J4,)  given  the  size,  markings  of  plumage,  &c.,  of  the  Chuck-wi!rs- 
widow ;  and,  in  the  succeeding  account  of  his  Lonf-winfrod  Coat- 
sucker,  describes  pretty  accurately  the  Night  Hawk.  Both  of  tlio<o 
birds  he  considers  to  be  the  Whip-poor-will,  and  as  having  the  same 
notes  and  manners. 

After  such  authorities,  it  was  less  to  be  wondered  at,  that  many  of 
our  own  citizens,  and  some  of  our  naturalists  and  writers,  should  fall 
into  the  like  mistake  ;  as  copies  of  the  works  of  those  English  natu- 
ralists are  to  be  found  in  .several  of  our  colleges,  and  in  some  of  our 
public  as  well  as  private  libraries.  The  means  which  tlie  autlior  of 
Amencan  Ornitholosrt/ tov  i  to  satisfy  his  own  mind  and  those  o:  his 
friends,  on  this  subject,  were  detailed  at  large,  in  a  paper  published 
about  two  years  ago,  in  a  periodical  work  of  this  city,f  with  which  ex- 
tract 1  shall  close  my  account  of  the  present  species  :  — 

"  On  the  question,  Is  the  Whip-poor-will  and  the  Night  Hawk  one 

•  The  figiire  is,  by  mistake,  oailcd  tin    Long-winged  Goatsucker.     See  Arctic 

^OOlOerij^  vol.  II.  pi.   18.  =  =  ~ 

t   Tilt  Porlfuiio. 


( 


It 


St. 

11 


I»82 


WHIP-POOR-WILL. 


and  tlio  Haino  bird,  or  arc  thoy  really  two  diatinct  specios  ?  there  has 
lonjr  been  >in  opposition  of  Hcntiniont,  und  many  fiuitlcHS  o.Hputea 
Nuiiibcrri  of  Hfinsiblt)  and  observinfr  people,  wiioso  intellij^eiice  and 
long  residence  in  the  country  entitle  their  opinion  to  respect,  positive- 
ly assert  that  tlie  Night  Hawk  and  tlio  Whip-poor-will  uro  very  difl'er- 
ent  birds,  and  do  not  even  associate  togetlier.  The  natnralistM  of 
Europe,  however,  have  generally  considered  the  two  names  as  applica- 
ble to  one  und  the  sumo  species ;  and  tliis  opinion  bus  also  been 
adopted  by  two  of  our  most  'listingiiished  naturalists,  Mr.  William 
Bartram,  of  Kingsessing,*  and  Professor  Barton,  of  Philadelphia.t  The 
writer  of  this,  being  determined  to  ascertain  the  truth  by  examining 
for  himself,  took  the  fidlowing  effectual  mode  of  settling  tliis  disputed 
point,  the  particulars  of  which  he  now  submits  to  those  interested  in 
the  qiiestion :  — 

"  Thirteen  of  those  birds  usually  called  Night  Hawks,  which  dart 
about  in  tlie  air  like  Swallows,  and  sometimes  descend  witli  rapidity 
from  a  great  height,  making  a  hollow  sounding  noise  like  that  pro- 
duced by  blowing  into  tiie  buni,'holc  of  an  empty  liog.shead,  were  shot 
at  different  times  and  in  different  places,  and  accurately  exaininod, 
botli  outwardly  and  by  dissection.  N  ino  of  these  were  found  to  be 
niale=i,  and  four  females.  The  former  all  corresponded  in  the  mark- 
ings and  tints  of  their  plumage  :  the  latter  also  agreed  in  their  marks, 
differing  slightly  from  the  males,  though  evidently  of  the  same  spe- 
cies. Two  others  were  sliot  as  tliey  rose  from  the  nests,  or  rather 
tVom  tlie  eggs,  which,  in  both  ciuses,  were  two  in  number,  lying  on  the 
open  ground.  These  also  agreed  in  tlie  markings  of  their  plumage 
witli  the  four  preceding  ;  and,  on  dissection,  were  found  to  bo  females. 
The  eggs  were  also  secured.  A  Whip-poor-will  was  shot  in  the  eve- 
ning, while  in  the  act  of  repeating  his  usual  and  well-known  notes. 
This  bird  was  found  to  be  a  male,  differing  in  many  remarkable  par- 
ticulars from  all  the  former.  Thiee  others  were  shot  at  different  times 
during  tlie  day,  in  solitary  and  dark-shaded  parts  of  the  wood.  Two 
of  these  were  found  to  be  females,  one  of  whicii  had  been  sitting  on 
two  eggs.  The  two  females  resembled  each  othor  almost  exactly ; 
the  male  also  corresponded  in  its  markings  with  the  one  first  found ; 
and  all  four  were  evidently  of  one  species.  The  eggs  differed  from 
till  fonner,  both  in  color  and  markings. 

'•  The  differences  betuceii  these  two  birds  were  as  follows:  —  The 
sides  of  the  mouth,  in  both  sexes  of  the  Whip-poor-will,  were  besnt 
with  ranges  of  lony  and  very  strong  bristles,  extending  more  than  half 
an  inch  beyond  tJ»e  point  of  the  bill ;  both  sexes  of  the  Night  Hawk 
were  entirely  dc  titute  of  bristles.  The  bill  of  the  Whip-poor-will 
was  also  more  than  twice  the  length  of  that  of  the  Night  Hawk.  The 
long  wing-quills,  of  botli  sexes  of  the  Night  Hawk,  were  of  a  deep 
brownish  black,  with  a  large  spot  of  white  nearly  in  their  middle,  and, 
when  shut,  the  tips  of  the  wings  extended  a  little  beyond  tlie  tail.  The 
wing-quills  of  tlie  Whip-poor-will,  of  both  sexes,  were  beautifully 


Capn'ntiil^u.i  Americanns,  iVieht  Hoivk,  or  Whip-poor-will 
Capri.nuljrug  Vir^inMuus,  Whip-pcmr-will,  or  Night  Haw 


ill.     3VaiW«.  :; .  292. 
t  Capri.nuljrug  Vir^inMuus,  \Vhip-pcmr-will,  or  Night  Hawk.     FraffmaUs  of 
the  Nil  fill  III  llixtory  of  Pmrmylvama,  p.  3.    See  also  American  Phil.  Trans.,  vol. 
iv.  pp.  2l).i,  120!),  Dole. 


RED  OWL. 


383 


firked,  U.0  exterior  fbaU^ora  bo  u  the  1  V'T''7"'  '"inJ«0">ely 

to  the  nuddlo  onoH  ;  the  taiT  of  o  w.i  "'''''''*'  «'»««""'«:  JTraduallJ 
exterior  foathern  bJinTu  o  horto  t  on  E"""""  Y''^,/''««'/«A  the 
die  ones.  ^        sn^rtost,  longUicnuijf  /.'nulualiy  to  Uio  nud- 

birds  bolongod  to  t^Z  i  "t  node  nf  !  "'^  ''""^"'t'""'  ^Imt  those 
Hize,  color,  Tvnd  eoJfcJSclu  of  fmris      ^  "'"  ""'"''  ^"^""«'  '^'""""^  '» 

Mr  HuSat/togothor^^^^^^^^^^  •^-"  ^-d  ''-fore 

montionod  nff  u>d  o  a  l'"'/:;"'"^  "'V'^''  «♦'  l''«  '^'>ovo- 
Chuck-will'H-wido;  arte  S  m.r  i  *'"'  ^'"'^''^  Virginian  Bat,  or 
naturalist  wa«  Ee,  to  lecirr  S  *'"^^  venerable 

he  had  now  no  dS  .f  th^N  1  m^^^^^^  ""[h'^'^S  '  '^'^^'"?'  '^''' 
ing  two  very  distinct  i^I'^f^^^,  *"°  ^^^^.p-poor-wll  be- 

a  de^c  ipir ;?  rir'S".tlun;a:e  "  "'''"'^  '''•^"^^•^  "^^  P^^^  '"^o 
received  by  L  InyuH  a  trutll."  '^^^^"^'^'^'y  das«eminated,  and 


RED  OWL.-::iTRIX   ASIO.-F,a.l74._FKMAr.K. 
Lhtle  Owl,  Catesb.n. Latk  ■  iq)'*        i-  .    .«« 

Strix  Asio,  Bonap.  Synop.  p.  36. 

coiv;fare:t'iricr^^^^^       r^^^i^  'y  •*« 

quivering  kind  of  wa  na  in  fK.  '  ^^  ^  "°**^''  ^"^  ^^  melancholy 
latter  part  of  summer  a  utumu'^r^rfh'  Pr'^"^''^^  ^^^^^^  thJ 
moonlight  nights,  t^ey  swer "  h  nthL  r^  ^arm-house.  On  clear 
fields  or  orchard    roTstZin,/;^!^"*'''  *™f",  various  parts  of  the 

few  feathers  ;  tel^^s  are  foS  no  '  whi?'"^'^''^  "^^'"'^  ^^^^  ^""^  » 
young  are  at  fir.'.  co^v^reYwiS  Ssh  doSr'  ""'^  "'"'^-    '^'^^ 

*  Seo  p.  201  for  description  of  tl.e  adult  of  this  species,  and  noto. 


(■  . 


334 


llEI)  OWL. 


The  bird  represented  in  Pig.  174  I  kept  for  several  weeks  in  the 
room  beside  me.     It  was  caught  in  a  barn,  where  it  had  taken  up  its 
lodcrintr,  probably  for  the  greater  convenience  of  mousing;  and,  being 
unhurt,  I  liad  an  opportunity  of  remarking  its  manners.    At  lirst,  it 
struck  itself  so  forcibly  against  the  window  as  frequently  to  deprive  it, 
seemingly,  of  all  sensation  for  several  miimtes:  this  was  (lone  so  re- 
peatedly that  I  began  to  fear  that  either  the  glass  or  the  Owl  s  skull 
must  give  way.    In  a  few  days,  however,  it  either  began  to  compre- 
hend sometliing  of  the  matter,  or  to  take  disgust  at  the  glass,  tor  it 
never  repeated  its  attempts ;  and  soon  became  quite  tamo  and  familiar. 
Those  wlio  have  seen  this  bird  only  in  the  day  can  form  but  an  imper- 
fect idea  of  its  activity,  and  oven  sprightliness,  in  its  proper  season  ot 
exercise.    Throughout  the  day,  it  was  all  stillness  and  gravity,  — its 
eyelids  half  shut,  it«  neck  contracted,  and  its  head  shrunk,  seemingly, 
into  its  body  ;  but  scarcely  was  the  sun  set,  and  twilight  began  to  ap- 
proach, when  its   eyes  became  full  and  sparkling,  like  two  living 
globes  of  fire ;  it  crouched  on   its  perch,  reconnoitred  every  object 
around  with  looks  of  eager  fierceness ;  alighted  and  fed;  stood  on  the 
meat  witli  clenched  talons,  while  it  tore  it  m  morsels  wiUi  its  bill; 
flew  round  the  room  with  the  silence   of  thought,  and  perching, 
moaned  out  its  melancholy  notes,  witli  many  lively  gesticulations,  not 
at  all  accordant  with  the  pitiful  tone  of  its  ditty,  which  reminded  one 
of  the  shivering  meanings  of  a  half-frozen  puppy.  . 

This  species  is  found  generally  over  the  United  States,  and  is  not 
migratory.  .     , 

The  Red  Owl  is  eight  inches  and  a  halt  long,  and  twenty  one  inch- 
es in  extent;  general 'color  of  tho  plumage  above,  a  bright  nut  brown, 
or  tawny  red ;  the  shatb,  black ;  exterior  edges  of  the  outer  row  of 
scapulars,  white;  bastard  wing,  the  five  first  primaries,  and  three  or 
four  of  the  first  greater  coverts,  also  spotted  witii  white;  whole  wmg- 
quills,  spotted  with  dusky  on  their  exterior  webs ;  tail,  rounded,  trans- 
versely barred  with  dusky  and  pale  brown ;  chin,  breast,  and  sides, 
bricrht  reddish  brown,  strealced  laterally  with  black,  intermixed  with 
white ;  belly  and  vent,  white,  spotted  with  bright  brown ;  legs,  covered 
to  the  claws  with  pale  brown  hairy  down ;  extremities  of  the  toes  and 
claws,  pale  bluish,  ending  in  black;  bill,  a  pale  bluish  horn  color; 
eyes,  vivid  yellow ;  inner  angles  of  the  eyes,  eyebrows,  and  space 
surrounding  the  bill,  whitish ;  rest  of  the  face,  nut  brown ;  head,  horn- 
ed or  eared,  each  horn  consisting  of  nine  or  ten  feathers  of  a  tawny 
red,  shafted  with  black. 


WARBLING  FLYCATCHER. 


885 


WARBLING  FLYCATCHER.  — MUSCICAPA  MELODIA 

Fig.  175. 

y/REO  O/iFC/S— Bonaparte. 

Muscicapa  gilva,  Vieill.  pi.  3-k  (auct.  Botuip.)  —  Vireo  gilvus,  Bomp.  8imov.  D. 

70.  Nomen.  sp.  123.  f      J    f  y 

This  sweet  little  Warbler  is  for  the  first  time  fiirured  and  described 
in  Fig.  175.  In  its  general  appearance  it  resembles  the  Red-eyed 
l?lycatcher ;  but,  on  a  close  comparison,  differs  from  that  bird  in  many 
particulars.  It  arrives  in  Pennsylvania  about  the  middle  of  April,  and 
inhabits  the  tJiick  foliage  of  orchards  and  high  tr-cs ;  its  voice  is  soft, 
tender,  and  soothing,  and  its  notes  flow  in  an  easy,  continued  strain, 
that  18  extremely  pleasing.  It  is  often  heard  among  thn  wer-ping  wil- 
lows and  Lombardy  poplars  of  this  city;  is  rarely  obH.  ved  in  the 
woods ;  but  seems  particularly  attichod  to  the  so'cicty  of  man.  It 
gleans  among  the  leaves,  occasionally  dartim,'  nfter  winged  injects, 
and  searching  for  caterpillars;  and  soems  by  its  manners  to  partake 
considerably  of  the  nature  of  the  genus  Siflvia.  It  is  late  in  departing, 
and  I  have  frequently  heard  its  notes  among  the  fading  leaves  of  the 
poplar  in  October. 

This  little  bird  may  be  distinguished  from  all  the  rest  of  our  sonc- 
stera  by  the  soft,  tender,  easy  flow  of  its  notes,  while  hid  among  the 
foliage.  In  these  there  is  nothing  harsh,  sudden,  or  emphatical ;  they 
glide  along  in  a  kind  of  meandering  strain,  that  is  peculiarly  its  own. 
In  May  and  Juno  it  may  be  generally  heard  in  the  orchards,  the  borders 
of  the  city,  and  around  the  farm-house. 

This  species  is  five  inches  and  a  half  long,  and  eight  inches  and  a 
half  in  extent;  bill,  dull  lead  color  above,  and  notched  near  tlie  point, 
lower,  a  pale  flesh  color ;  eye,  dark  hazel ;  lino  over  tiie  eye,  and  whole 
lower  parts,  white,  the  hitter  tinged  with  very  i)ile  irreenish  yellow 
near  the  breast ;  upper  part-,  a  pah;  giviMi  (dive ;  winos,  brown,  broadly 
edged  witii  pale  olive  gr-eii;  tnil,  s!i»-!itlv  lorl-e  I,  nd-od  with  olive- 
the  legs  and  foot, pal'>  leid:  t!n  he ;;l  '  ' 


]ny. 


lo  to  ; 


no  white 


386 


PURPLE  FINCH. 


PURPLE  FINCH.  —  FRINGILLA  PURPUREA.  —  Fio.  176. 

KRYTHROSPIZJl  PURPUREA— hottkVAKtt,* 

I'his  bird  is  represented  aa  he  appears  previous  to  receiving  his 
crimson  plumage,  and  also  when  moulting.  By  recurring  to  Fig.  28 
of  this  work,  which  exhibiu)  him  in  his  fill  dress,  the  great  difference 
of  color  will  be  observed  to  which  this  species  is  annually  subject 

It  is  matter  of  doubt  with  me  whether  this  species  ought  not  to  be 
classed  with  the  hojna ;  the  great  thickness  of  the  bill,  and  similarity 
that  prevails  between  this  end  the  Pine  GrosbeaV,  almost  induced  me 
to  adopt  it  into  that  class.  But  respect  for  other  authorities  has  pre- 
vented me  from  making  this  alteration. 

When  these  birds  are  taken,  in  their  crimson  dress,  and  kept  in  a 
cage  till  they  moult  their  feathers,  they  uniformly  change  to  their  pres- 
ent appear;; nee,  and  sometimes  never  after  ro''eive  their  red  color. 
They  are  ?.1pc  "biect,  if  well  fed,  to  become  so  tat  aa  literally  to  die 
of  corpulency,  c.  v/hich  I  have  seen  several  instances ;  bein^  at  these 
times  subject  to  something  resembling  apoplexy,  from  which  they 
sometimes  recover  in  a  few  minutes,  but  oftener  expire  in  the  same 
space  of  time. 

The  female  is  entirely  without  the  red,  and  differs  from  the  present 
oidy  in  having  less  yellow  about  her. 

These  birds  regularly  arrive  from  the  north,  where  they  breed,  a 
September;  and  visit  us  from  the  south  again  early  in  April,  feedi..g 
on  the  cherry  blossoms  as  soon  as  they  appear.  Of  the  particulars 
relative  to  this  species,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  account  already 
mentioned. 

The  individual  represented  in  Fig.  176,  measured  six  inches  and  a 
quarter  in  length,  and  ten  inches  in  extent ;  the  bill  was  horn  colored ; 
upper  parts  of  the  plumage,  brown  olive,  stronwly  tinged  with  yellow, 
particularly  on  the  rump,  where  it  was  brownish  yellow  ;  from  above 
the  eye,  backwards,  passed  a  streak  of  white,  and  another  more  irreg- 
ular one  from  the  lower  mandible ;  feathers  of  the  crown,  narrow, 
rather  long,  and  generally  erected,  but  not  so  as  to  I'oixn  a  crest ;  nos- 
trils, and  base  of  the  bill,  covered  with  reflected  brownish  hairs  ;  eye, 
dark  hazel;  wings  and  tail,  dark  blackish  brown, edged  with  olive; 
first  and  second  row  of  covertd,  tipt  with  pale  yellow ;  chin,  white ; 
breast  pale  cream,  marked  with  pointed  spots  of  deep  olive  brown ; 
belly  and  vent,  white;  legs,  brown.  This  bird,  with  several  others 
marked  nearly  in  the  same  manner,  was  shot  25th  April,  while  engaged 
in  eating  the  buds  from  the  beech  tree. 

•  See  description  of  adult  male,  Note  and  Synonyms,  p.  79.  \ 


|,y;  t  s     =5 


♦ 

i 
1 

176. 

- 

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Fig.  28 
fference 

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milarity 

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las  pre- 

cept in  a 

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y  to  die 

at  these 

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he  same 

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present 

treed,  ..■ 

feedii.g 

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already 

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colored ; 

yellow, 

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re  irreg- 

narrow. 

St;  nos- 

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h  olive; 

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brown ; 

il  others 

engaged 

\ 

